Imagine a world where packaging disappears naturally, just like a fruit peel.
- Notpla (short for not plastic) aim to eliminate single-use plastic with a biodegradable material. Their edible 'Ooho' packaging has already been used for water and sauce sachets at the London Marathon and Glastonbury Festival. They have now also produced a recyclable and home-compostable takeout box 1.
- The key ingredient is seaweed which they say is a sustainable as it is abundant, grows fast, doesn't need fertiliser, and actively sequesters carbon dioxide. They also lease out their own compact, manufacturing machines, which means they can be used locally to reduce the impact of transportation.
- According to A Plastic Planet2, 885 billion sachets are thrown away every year, which laid end-to-end could reach the moon almost 200 times. Most plastic is not currently recycled, and even bio-plastics do not decompose naturally, needing industrial composting – and their production competes with food crops.
- They say Notpla has prevented more than 250,000 single use plastics from being used so far. Trials of their sauce sachets with Just Eat and Unilever resulted in a customer satisfaction rating of over 95%.
- Notpla has been awarded World Technology3 and Greentech4 awards, and been recognised as an innovator by National Geographic5. While Rodrigo has given a well-received TEDx talk6.
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