Globally 40 billion earplugs are manufactured every year. That’s enough to wrap around the world 100 times if they were laid out end to end according to Gob, who makes earplugs from lab-grown mycelium.
‘Our single-use plugs have been engineered by nature to tune your experiences to the right volume, without any harmful materials or chemicals. They are completely home compostable and will feed the ground wherever they end up.’
These mycelium-based alternatives avoid the use of PVC or polyurethane, which are typically used to manufacture ear plugs. Of course, traditional disposable ear plugs typically end up in landfill or incinerated contributing to the environmental disaster.
As we learn more about the health impacts of plastics it’s worthwhile thinking about the possibility of plasticizers and phthalates leaking out during use. This is particularly worrisome as the skin lining the ear canal is very thin, creating a bigger risk of chemicals leaching into our bodies. By using lab-grown mycelium Gob knows their products are free from hazardous chemicals.
If you happen to be planning an event or festival Gob offer co-branding opportunities, a great way to highlight another example of how plastics have oozed their way into every aspect of our lives and how important it is to identify and eliminate their unnecessary use for even the smallest of items. Switching to earplugs made from alternatives to virgin fossil plastic could avoid the use of up to 1.3 million barrel of oil every year.
However, you do have to pay a premium to avoid the use of fossil fuels, with Gob earplugs costing nearly double the cost of traditional plugs. Gob’s earplugs are engineered for 12dB noise reduction (comparable with traditional plugs) and are designed to knock down all frequencies to produce a balanced acoustic experience. But if you think of the potential benefits to your health, let alone our environment, surely this is worthwhile?
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