Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Corn-Based Plastic

Posted by michael on from the colonel-redenbacher dept.

SolemnDragon writes "CNN.com is offering up an article about the new corn-based plastic-like product being used at Wild Oats Natural Markets. The product looks like plastic, works like plastic... and then turns into compost. Dubbed the 'corn-tainer,' it's being used to serve foods, etc. Available only in the Pacific Northwest stores (of course) or you can make your own at home. And here's more info on Bio-plastic from MSU." Our older story.

3 of 305 comments (clear)

  1. Sounds Fantastic -- Now Why Not Hemp by Nom+du+Keyboard · · Score: 4, Insightful
    This is one of those genuinely good things to happen, if it plays out as good as it sounds now. Nice to see good news at the end of the week.

    I wish we were as forward looking on legal products from hemp, which I would also consider a good thing.

    (Not a troll promoting or encouraging illegal drug use.)

    --
    "It's the height of ridiculousness to say for those 9 lines you get hundreds of millions."
  2. Economics by meta-monkey · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Bio degradable better for the environment blah blah blah.

    Nobody's going to use it except in a few niche markets unless it's cheaper to mass-produce than good ol' synthetic plastic. That will take a long time to achieve.

    Actually, even if it did replace plastic, I'm not sure it would be better for the environment. Now you need to mass-mass produce corn. Agricultural run-off can be pretty destructive, too, not to mention the effects of irrigation on natural waterways. TANSTAAFL.

    --
    We don't have a state-run media we have a media-run state.
  3. Disney uses this... by JTFritz · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Disney uses a product like this at all of their theme parks. When you get "plastic" utensils at a restaraunt in the park, it's actually this stuff.

    Great for the environment considering how much garbage Disney generates.

    Feel free to interpret that last statement any way you wish :)