South Australian law on single-use plastic packaging coming into force on 1 September will ban polyethylene containers known as shoyu-tai in Japan

The device known as shoyu-tai (or soy-sauce snapper in Japanese) was invented in 1954 by Teruo Watanabe, the founder of Osaka-based company Asahi Sogyo, according to a report from Japan’s Radio Kansai.

It was then common for glass and ceramic containers to be used but the advent of cheap industrial plastics allowed the creation of a small polyethylene container in the shape of a fish, officially named the “Lunch Charm”.

The invention quickly spread around Japan and eventually worldwide, and it is estimated that billions have been produced.

  • Treczoks@lemmy.worldEnglish
    56·
    1 day ago

    The “fish-shaped” is rather irrelevant. The point is that it is a single -use plastic thing. With very little content in relation to the plastic used.

    • Lumisal@lemmy.worldEnglish
      18·
      24 hours ago

      I thought it would have been very relevant.

      It looks like a fish lure.

      If this is floating around at sea I don’t see why other fish (and maybe certain sea birds?) wouldn’t think it’s prey, and it even has a bright red indicator that makes it easy to spot.

      • Treczoks@lemmy.worldEnglish
        35·
        21 hours ago

        Only relevant for countries that still “recycle” plastics by throwing them into the sea.

          • Treczoks@lemmy.worldEnglish
            1·
            3 hours ago

            All of them participate, yes, but on vastly different levels. There are countries that actually collect and recycle.

            • njm1314@lemmy.worldEnglish
              2·
              3 hours ago

              You misunderstand. I’m saying those countries that think they’re doing a good job, their shit’s going straight to the water too. They’re all fooling themselves. Or more accurately they’re fooling you the consumer and thosr believing recycling works. It doesn’t for the vast vast majority of plastics. So all of them are dumping Plastics in the water.

        • ammonium@lemmy.worldEnglish
          15·
          21 hours ago

          Some thrash will end up in nature no matter what you do, especially small and light items. That’s why it’s good practice to design packaging do that it does minimal harm if it ends up in nature.