Barkerville Brewing is testing out a new biodegradable four-pack beer carrier, reports CBC.

The Eco Six Pack Ring, or E6PR, is made from compostable materials using waste products generated in the brewing industry such as plant fibres, barley and wheat, said Meghan Lackie, sales manager at the northern BC brewery. 

“[It’s] awesome because it closes the loop on waste generation,” said Lackie.

Barkerville Breweing is one of only a handful in Canada to try the product created by a Mexico based startup, which partnered with an American ad agency. Geo Cider in Squamish and Phillips Brewing Company in Victoria are also using the product.

A traditional six-pack ring made from plastic can take as many 450 years to completely decompose. The e6pr rings, however, which are made from wheat and barley, biodegrade in a few days if they’re properly disposed of in the compost. If the rings end up outdoors, they take several weeks to decompose, but are safe for animals – and humans – to eat. 

Although few in Canada have tried using the rings, they’ve been in use in the States now for several years. In the UK, Budweiser has just announced it will stop using plastic rings by 2020.

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