The Eco Six Pack Ring (E6PR) is a six pack ring made from brewing waste products and designed to replace environmentally problematic plastic rings commonly used to hold together cans.

The E6PR uses wheat and barley waste from breweries along with other compostable materials to produce their six pack rings. The E6PR has been designed to withstand high humidity levels and the weight of the cans held within. As the rings are made out of compostable organic materials they are not harmful if ingested by animals, and degrade within a matter of days if disposed of in a composting facility and within a matter of weeks if left out in the environment.

E6PR’s product is an innovative alternative to the commonly used plastic rings that are currently being used by most beer retailers. Around half of the plastic waste generated worldwide comes from plastic packaging, which mostly does not biodegrade, but instead photodegrades, resulting in microplastic fragment accumulation. E6PR’s solution contributes to minimise the plastic waste from the beverage industry. The E6PR has been used by craft breweries from the US, South Africa, Australia, Poland, Scotland, and the Solomon Islands. Corona is the first major beverage company to trialling the E6PR, where it is being launched in Mexico.

Plastic waste is a growing problem affecting marine wildlife as more than 8 million tonnes of plastic end up in the ocean every year. The UN estimates that by 2050, 99% of seabirds will have ingested plastic. The UN’s research suggest that plastic can enter the food chain through the marine wildlife and eventually be consumed by humans but microplastic has been found in table salt and in tap and bottled water.