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For GreenBB to import edible plates from Poland, the transportation fee accounts for 80% of the total cost. Biotrem’s suggested that the retail price for a 10-pack of edible plates should be US$5 and US$30 for a 100-pack, which is about three times more than the cost of plastic plates that Chan purchases. “Most consumers or small businesses would not be able to afford the high cost, so we are trying to produce simpler versions of edible utensils and crockery which can last for two to three days using waffle machines and hot milk,” Mr. Wong said. Participants at GreenBB experimental activities could get a taste of producing their own edible crockery. The team dreamt up an idea to mould waffles into plates and bowls to fashion cheap and edible tableware. Although waffle-crockery could only be preserved for several days, Mr. Wong hopes it can inspire people with new ways to curb plastic consumption. “These are handy ingredients and the plates can be made with a few easy steps. We hope people would understand that they can use simple and innovative ways to conserve the environment. Being eco-friendly could actually be a lot of fun.”
Smell like freshly-baked bread but tastes like bark, the edible plates are made from wheat bran without chemical additives, suitable for warm and cold food. They disintegrate in 30 days if not consumed.
Paper tableware normally takes five years to decompose while plastic ones take at least 500 years, but an edible plate would disappear in 30 days if not eaten up.