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With many cities
around the world struggling to dispose of vast numbers of used
plastic water bottles, the biodegradable 'Ooho balls' have begun
quenching the thirst of consumers at special events in San
Francisco and London.
The balls, which resemble large bubbles, have a jelly-like
membrane made of plant and seaweed extracts. The company,
Skipping Rocks Lab, says the membranes decompose after four to
six weeks if not consumed.
A report published by the London municipal authorities on
Thursday said more than 4,000 plastic bottles had been removed
from the River Thames in a one month period last year,
demonstrating the scale of the waste problem.
"We think Ooho, may not be the solution for all the applications
that plastic bottles have, but definitely for short term
consumption it could be a solution," Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez,
the founder of Skipping Rocks Lab, told Reuters.
In a trial near London Bridge on Wednesday, the innovative balls
drew a mixture of surprise, amusement and delight among those
who sampled them.
London's city assembly said Ooho was a step forward.
"It could be part of the solution but not the only solution. You
also need to be able to refill bottles at railway stations for
example," said Leonie Cooper, the Chair of the assembly's
environment committee.
Skipping Rocks, who spent three years developing Ooho, said they
produce up to 2,000 balls a day but hope to increase that
figure, extend the shelf-life of the product and improve the
resistance of the membranes.
The company aims to target, among other consumers, marathon
runners, who will be able to dispose of the Oohos mid-race
without concerns about the environment. It is also considering
encapsulating alcohol for a whole new market.
"People see these small round bubbles and they just think
'shots'. So that's definitely something we're looking at," said
Skipping Rocks Lab Chief Operating Officer Lise Honsinger.
"We have encapsulated alcohol, we want to perfect it, and then
hopefully this will be the Jaegerbomb of the future."
($1 = 0.8005 pounds)
(Reporting By Matthew J. Stock.; Writing By Marine Hass; Editing
by Gareth Jones)
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