CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — After running for 26.2 miles, Chicago Marathon finishers will receive a plastic bag of recovery items such as fruits, refreshments, and granola bars.
Although there’s nothing groundbreaking about the snacks, the bag itself — from the United Kingdom-based Polymateria — is made from Lyfescycle’s one-of-a-kind, plant-based plastic technology.
“The bags are as durable as your conventional plastic,” said Liepa Olsauskaite, a spokesperson for Polymateria. “It looks and feels exactly like regular plastic, but the beauty is the technology that’s embedded inside.”
Olsauskaite said the bag is not only recyclable, but time-triggered biodegradable. It will safely return to nature within two years, leaving no microplastics or toxins behind.
When Lyfecycle engineers the technology, they can give the bag a timed, molecular cue to self destruct. The technology can be added with no changes necessary to existing plastic production lines, simply swapping out environmentally harmful ingredients with the plant based solution.
Olsauskaite said the world debut of the time triggered biodegradable bags at the Chicago Marathon is an attempt to urge plastic producers to switch from fossil fuel ingredients to the plant based technology that requires no changes to existing plastic production lines.
She says it would however increase production cost by 10 – 15%.
“This is very different from other alternatives currently in the market, where you’re looking at a 300% increase if you’re going for sustainable materials,” Olsauskaite said.
Having now closed a significant cost barrier, Lyfecycle hopes to get consumers and some of the big retailers to demand the technology as a standard.
Related
Related
Listen to WBBM Newsradio now on Audacy!