I can see clearly now. The cellophane has come.

If you’re like me, you probably always worry about foreign matter entering your drink, whether it’s a Junebug or a dose of strychnine from one of the many, many people out to get you. That’s why I dislike paper cups that make it more difficult to see what’s inside at all times. Many in the beverage business agree, just not for the same paranoid reasons. For them, a clear cup highlights the attractive colors of their drinks and acts as a subtle form of advertising to all within eyeshot.

Unfortunately, when it comes to transparency, the main options are expensive and fragile glass or plastic which has been rapidly choking our oceans. But now, a research team with the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) thinks they have a solution to everyone’s cup problems.

This team has developed a thick paper that is also transparent. It’s sturdy enough and resistant enough to moisture that it can be used as a cup, but it also biodegrades like paper, and when submerged in the sea for four months it almost completely breaks down.

That’s because it’s made of cellophane, the well-known material that looks a lot like plastic but is actually closer to paper because it’s made of the same material, cellulose. Cellophane has been around for a long time, but until now it could only be produced in very thin sheets, incapable of forming a sturdy enough cup. JAMSTEC was able to produce cellophane in thickness of 0.3 to 0.7, up to 14 times thicker than previously thought possible.

▼ This news report shows that it was easier said than done and took 640 attempts over five years.

With the potential that it could be used in other ways as a plastic substitute, readers of the news online were full of hope and pride in the researchers of their country.

“It’s people like this, who think of things the rest of us don’t, that are saving the world.”
“This is what we get when institutions get the funding to do proper research.”
“I can’t get over learning cellophane tape is actually paper.”
“I have so much respect for people who can invent things like this and it makes me proud to be Japanese.”
“I hope this can completely replace plastic.”
“I’d be happy if they used this instead of paper for straws.”
“I was wondering why marine researchers were doing this, but they want to protect the ocean. That’s just wonderful.”
“I just work every day and hang out on weekends, while these people work to make the world better. It’s not that Japanese people are amazing. These people are amazing.”
“I’ve been waiting for something like this that gives me real hope for the future.”

Before we get too hopeful, there is a catch. According to JAMSTEC, this material costs about 1,000 times as much as current plastics to produce. That being said, plastics have had a considerable head start, and with some research into mass production of this cellophane, it could still become the norm for packaging and more someday.

Until then, my legions of foes and Mother Nature’s hordes of insects will continue to have the upper hand when it comes to invading my loosely monitored drinks, but at least hope is on the horizon.

Source: TV Asahi, JAMSTEC, YouTube/ANNnewsCH
Images: JAMSTEC
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