Chilean entrepreneurs created this revolutionary article generating a hopeful alternative to plastic

The war against plastic has been on the agenda of many countries for years. In the last decade, it seems that it has adopted a higher rhythm and measures such as paying for plastic bags in stores and supermarkets are becoming more common. For this reason, different people and organizations are dedicated to the development of alternative products that can reduce the environmental impact generated by plastic.

Leer en español: Bolsas plásticas solubles: ¿Estamos ante la solución definitiva?

Roberto Astete and Cristian Olivares are two Chilean entrepreneurs who, like many others, got their project almost by chance. Their real intention was to make biodegradable detergents and in the process they came up with the chemical formula of polyvinyl alcohol, which dissolves in water – and which acts as a replacement for petroleum derivatives, which are the real causes of the plastic is practically indestructible.

The product designed by Astete and Olivares, who have a company called SoluBag, consists of a limestone that is diluted in water without contaminating it. They consider themselves very optimistic about their creation, which they hope to start marketing in Chile in October.

In fact, they have reasons for this, since the southern country was one of the first in Latin America to prohibit the use of conventional plastic bags by businesses.

Also read: Do you want to take care of the environment? These 4 applications can help you  

Apart from what was mentioned above, the other great advantage of these soluble bags is that they allow anyone to decide when to destroy them easily, quickly, safely, and cleanly. This means that users can get rid of them while they wash the dishes or put the washing machine.

It is also safe for children, because these bags also dissolve on contact with saliva, preventing children from suffocating.

Their find goes beyond the bags, since the formula allows making any plastic material so they already have plans to make glasses, cutlery, or plates with this material.

According to Greenpeace, approximately 8 million tons of plastic arrive annually to the oceans. Thus, as pointed out by Astete and Olivares, their products – and others developed previously – will not help if the governments and organizations do not work for its implementation.

LatinAmerican Post | José María González
Translated from “Bolsas plásticas solubles: ¿Estamos ante la solución definitiva?”