It’s bad enough that an estimated 300 million tons of plastic waste are produced globally each year, and little of it is recycled. Worse, much of that rubbish contains per- and polyfluoro-alkyl substances (PFAS), which are linked to a range of harmful health effects and informally known as “forever chemicals” because that’s pretty much how long they stick around. Zume, a manufacturer of food containers and other products, and Solenis, an industrial chemicals producer, partnered to do something. In April they launched a biodegradable PFAS-free packaging line—that includes cups, bowls, and egg cartons—made principally from plant fibers that would ordinarily be discarded as agricultural waste.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- How an Alleged Spy Balloon Derailed an Important U.S.-China Meeting
- Effective Altruism Has a Toxic Culture of Sexual Harassment and Abuse, Women Say
- Inside Bolsonaro's Surreal New Life as a Florida Man—and MAGA Darling
- 'Return to Office' Plans Spell Trouble for Working Moms
- 8 Ways to Read More Books—and Why You Should
- Why Aren't Movies Sexy Anymore?
- Column: Elon Musk Should Not Be in Charge of the Night Sky
- How Logan Paul's Crypto Empire Fell Apart
- 80 for Brady May Not Be a Masterpiece. But the World Needs More Movies Like This
