Slippery ketchup bottle helps zero-waste economy
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The reading
Have you ever been angry because the tomato ketchup wouldn't come out the bottle? Have you ever squeezed and squeezed the toothpaste tube but the last bit wouldn’t come out? Have you ever spent ages trying to scrape the last bits of jam from the sides of the jar? If the answer to these questions is 'yes,' you may be happy to know that a solution to your problems is coming. Scientists have invented a super-slippery surface that can be put on the inside of bottles, tubes, jars, tins and other containers. The slippery inside means anything will just slide out, like water. Every last drop of things like glue, paint and cosmetics will come out, leaving the container totally empty, and making you happier and richer.
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Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the company LiquiGlide wanted to create something that would reduce waste and save us money. The technology's co-inventor, Dr David Smith, said every day, millions of litres of ketchup, sauces, paint, gels and creams get stuck to the sides of containers and are thrown away. He said: "The technology has the potential to significantly reduce waste and be a big part of the zero-waste economy." The LiquiGlide website says: "What the wheel was to transportation, LiquiGlide is to liquids - it changes the way liquids move….We want to revolutionize consumer packaging, reduce waste, and create efficiencies. We are motivated to save lives and improve the world."
Sources:
- http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-39030055
- http://indianewengland.com/2017/01/kripa-varanasi-co-founded-liquiglide-closes-16-million-venture-funding/
- http://liquiglide.com/about-us/
