Plastic trash is deadly food for sea turtles, fish, otter and other marine animals and with this in mind, a small craft brewery in Florida has developed edible six pack rings for its beer products that feeds and doesn't kill marine life.

The edible six pack rings were developed by Saltwater Brewery, a microbrewery in Delray Beach that opened for business in December 2013. The craft beer maker said its edible six-pack rings are made from beer production by-products such as barley and wheat and are completely safe for fish and humans to eat.

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These edible rings were digitally designed and the final molds 3D printed. The molds have already been used to make the first batch of 500 edible rings for Saltwater Brewery's flagship IPA beer.

Introduced in April at local venues, the rings were a big hit with consumers. Many said the rings were a lot more durable than they looked. Some couldn't resist taking a bite out of the rings. The verdict: the rings can be eaten. The rings are also 100 percent biodegradable and compostable.

The company says the edible rings are as resistant and efficient as plastic packaging. The only drawback is the edible six-pack rings are more expensive to produce. But Saltwater Brewery hopes customers will be willing to pay a little more to protect the environment and animal life.

 "It's a big investment for a small brewery created by fisherman, surfers and people that love the sea," said Peter Agardy, head of brand at Saltwater Brewery.

The company also believes that if more breweries do what they did, prices may fall since production costs will also drop.

"We hope to influence the big guys," said Chris Goves, Saltwater Brewery president. "And hopefully inspire them to get on board."

Scientists have discovered that 90 percent of seabirds have eaten plastic and are likely to retain some in their gut. They also are "virtually certain" that any seabird found dead by 2050 will have plastic in its stomach.

Research also shows plastic as among the most common trash item eaten by sea turtles. In 2015, volunteers found 57 marine mammals, 440 fish and 22 sharks, skates and sting rays entangled in plastic trash. 

Tagsedible six pack rings, Saltwater Brewery, IPA beer, Chris Goves