New Corn-Based Plastic Bottle Can Be Composted in Garden

In a move that may herald a packaging revolution, the first biodegradable plastic bottle has been launched in the UK.

Belu, a London-based mineral water company which donates its profits to third world water projects, has developed a method of producing plastic bottles using a 100% renewable resource: corn.

The ‘Bio-bottle’ can be composted back to soil in 12 weeks, the firm says – roughly a million years faster than traditional plastics.

“The potential for helping the planet is enormous,” said Mai Simonsen, one of the founding members of Belu. “This can dramatically reduce the amount of rubbish going into landfills and gives everyone an easy way to help protect the environment.”

While the product has been welcomed by environmental groups, some activists are questioning whether we need to be buying so many products in the first place.

The Bio-bottles are now available in selected Waitrose stores and will reach the shelves of most major UK supermarkets in the coming months.