Green Milk. This is exciting! UK-based Greenbottle has recently announced their new milk container that promises a green solution to the waste produced by plastic milk bottles. The new bottle is made of a cardboard outer shell (made from pulped recycled cardboard using egg carton technoloy) and a biodegradeable plastic inner liner (made from corn starch). When the bottle is empty, the outer layer may be recycled and the inner liner will fully decompose in a landfill within six weeks...
If not recycled, the whole bottle will compost at the landfill site.
Greenbottle expects to be on shelves in the UK by the end of the year. They are also developing new ways of producing green bottles for other liquids. Via SwissMiss.
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Comments (10)
This seems like such a brilliant idea. I've always hated the stupidity of milk cartons, when I was a kid (in canada) we had milk in bags that would be inserted into a pitcher. easier to store before using, easier to dispose of when done.
I love when people look at ubiquitous objects with an eye to reduce the environmental footprint!
Just a reminder that items which are biodegradeable in principle, often will not actually decompose in a landfill, because no air is present. I suppose it would be compostable, though.
Why not just bring back reusable glass bottles?
How big is the bottle? Looking at the promotional image, I'm guessing half a gallon. One of my complaints about the translucent plastic bottles is that UV light degrades the nutrients in milk; however, we go through milk fast enough that it makes sense to buy only the gallon jugs.
As for the environmental impact, would you have to take Greenbottle apart to submit it for recycling? As it is, I can just throw the plastic milk jugs in the recycling bin, but the waxy cardboard cartons have to go in the trash. I'm not sure what's the least of evils here....
Pretty cool idea... glass is also a good idea, go figure. :)
Glass milk bottles look so nice, but I thought I read somewhere that the light degrades the nutrients. Oh, Ami just said that regarding translucent plastic. So yeah, wouldnt that be true for clear glass too?
Also, aren't waxy cardboard cartons recyclable? I've always recycled mine...
Rachel, I love the bag idea.
So what happens if you go on vacation for 6 weeks an leave it in your fridge. will you come back to find the liner composted itself in your absense, and a gooie mess of curdled milk on the shelf??!!
All kidding aside, great idea, definitely a product that needs a revamp....
this is just dumb, in Canada we buy the milk in bags and stick them in a pitcher, who needs this jug?
Anyone else look at that picture and see laundry detergent first? Not a bad idea though.