Brewery creates six-pack rings animals can eat

A US brewery's ambitious plan to clean up the environment has inspired the creation of the world's first mass produced edible and biodegradable six-pack rings.

Since the 1980s the plastic six-pack rings used around the world to hold cans of beer together have been a scourge on marine life and birds, with countless animals dying after becoming trapped in them.

Using a combination of wheat and barley, Florida's Saltwater Brewery have developed a fully biodegradable series of beer rings that can be consumed by animals or left to harmlessly dissolve.

The small US brewery hopes to produce 400,000 six-pack rings a month which will be used on all of its beer.

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

"We hope to influence the big guys and hopefully inspire them to get on board."