Can we get rid of all the single

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A new partnership aims to take a big bite out of the scourge of single-use plastic. With the help of some robots and economies of scale, it's a positive step in a problem that seems wholly intractable.

Compostable packaging company Zume, which has innovated the manufacture of high output molded fiber packaging using robots, is joining forces with sustainable packaging company Transcend Packaging. By joining forces, the companies are trying to rally an effective base of capabilities and distribution to take on the unfathomable might of the plastics industry.

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Currently, single-use plastic is a $320B industry. Shockingly, there has been no economically viable alternative. The ease of use of single-use plastics (abetted by longstanding consumer apathy) has resulted in a disposal crisis. Some 130 million metric tons of plastics were discarded in 2019, and nearly all single-use plastics are made from virgin petroleum, as opposed to recycled materials. As NPRreports, globally, there are just 20 companies producing nearly half of these products, and they comprise some of the best capitalized firms on the globe.

"For global brands, maintaining the status quo with plastic use is no longer a viable strategy," says Alex Garden, Zume's Chairman and CEO. "The proof will lie in the hands of brands who put a plan in place and see it through. Zume aims to provide companies with a road beyond plastic."

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