A Mexican scientist has just managed to develop a new sustainable form of biodegradable plastic out of cactus juice.

Professor Sandra Pascoe Ortiz came up with her formula at the University of Valle de Atemajac by using just a few leaves from the nopal cactus and some non-toxic additives. Combining the two, she was able to make plastic so that it begins to degrade after sitting in soil for just one month. When placed in water, the plastic degrades in a matter of days.

Though it doesn’t taste very good, Sandra said her plastic can be digested by both humans and animals. Unlike corn-based plastic, cacti can grow in harsh, arid environments with little to no maintenance or excessive resources, which makes this innovation even more important and exciting.

Sandra is now doing research on other cacti so she can determine which cactus species are most effective for the mixture. While it currently takes her ten days to brew up a new batch of the eco-friendly plastic, she believes the process can go much quicker with industrial production. That’s why she’s teamed up with several companies to implement the procedure on a larger scale and bring the plastic to a commercial market.

“I believe that it is never too late to start changing things,” Sandra said. “Every day there is a new opportunity to do things better, so if we each do what we have to do, there is another opportunity to reverse all the damage we have done to the planet.”

Watch the video below to find out more on this new eco-friendly plastic!