Do you know who Terry Guido is? He was granted a patent for a water-soluble, biodegradable beverage container. At first glance it may appear that this is a solo inventor with zero market presence, however, Guido is actually the CEO of Lore Technologies!
Lore Technologies is addressing the problem of plastic waste, one dissolvable cup at a time. As of 2017, plastic containers and packaging waste amount to almost 14.5 million tons, and only 13% (approximately 1.9 million tons) are recycled. This does not include single-use non-durable products.
Lore Technologies' solution includes a non-toxic, biodegradable, and 100% water-soluble substrate called Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA). The PVA is formed into the desired shape and can be colored and/or dyed for branding purposes. Once the container is ready to be dissolved, it is placed in a heated water bath and the container should dissolve in a matter of hours! The remaining liquid is 100% biodegradable and environmentally safe. This could be a big step in eliminating the need for a costly recycling process.
In BIGGER news, Guido appears interested in licensing and/or selling the patent and there is an unpublished child application (US Application No. 17/018,118) filed on 09-11-2020. This indicates that Guido is continuing to expand the patent portfolio which is a HUGE benefit to any potential buyers. The child application provides the opportunity to add more information and to direct claims towards competitors.
Companies such as Waste Management, Republic Services, and Waste Connections may want to secure this patent portfolio before it takes off. Most consumers may not want to create a heated bath at home for their dissolvable containers but they should have zero problems putting the containers on the curb for pickup. Major recycling companies could increase their offerings by picking up these unique containers and having recycling plants dedicated to dissolving the containers. It would be more efficient and affordable to dissolve the cups on a mass scale than to ask consumers to put their containers in a heated bath and dispose of the remaining liquid.
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