Plastic is everywhere in our lives: plastic bottles, plastic boxes, plastic toys ...... because it is difficult to degrade naturally, whether it is "buried" or "cremated", if not handled properly If they are not disposed of properly, they may cause pollution to the environment. The best option is undoubtedly recycling, but recently, some daring environmentalists have suggested that we should try "mushroom burial"?

  Let the mushrooms eat the plastic, then let the people eat it

  Several Austrian designers and a team of Dutch microbiologists have collaborated to develop a plastic-consuming edible mushroom system that uses mushrooms to eat plastic waste, which people then make into a delicacy and eat! This idea would be very marketable in the land of big eaters, right?

  By putting sterilised plastic into a ball-shaped petri dish and dripping in diluted mycelium, the fungus magically consumes the plastic slowly and eventually grows into a furry mushroom! And this mushroom is completely edible and can even be served with different flavours in recipes. It actually looks delicious ......

  No more plastic, use mushrooms as packaging from now on

  If you can't handle eating mushrooms grown in plastic waste, then try Mushroom Packaging.

  As an alternative to plastic, which is difficult to degrade, the American company Ecovative has invented mycelium, a fibre-rich material.

  By growing mycelium in purified agricultural waste such as straw and bran, the straw and bran are fixed into the shape of a mould and then dried, the mycelium ceases to grow and the packaging is ready for use. This natural packaging material, called Mushroom Packaging, degrades completely within a few weeks and is far less harmful to the natural environment than plastic.

  Cool, isn't it? In fact, both of these innovations are still being explored and modelled. There are many other ways to tackle plastic waste pollution that are still being considered and tried.

  One such initiative is the "New Plastics Economy", which Veolia joined last year. Initiated by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, this three-year programme aims to create a practical system for recycling plastics. Based on circular economy principles, it brings together leading companies, cities, philanthropists, policy makers, experts, academics, students, NGOs and citizens to reflect on and design the subsequent use of plastics and plastic packaging. As a core partner, Veolia joined the Advisory Board in 2016 to help develop the work programme, select projects and pilots.

  Do you want to be part of the fight against plastic waste pollution? Then live your life by reducing the use of plastic packaging, avoiding single-use plastic products and recycling or finding a professional to recycle plastic packaging whenever possible!