A bevy of biodegradables.

In an effort to help stem the massive stream of waste dumped into landfills, new corn-based plastic bottles have recently hit the market in Great Britain and the United States, where millions of plastic bottles are used each day. The containers remain stable on store shelves, but decompose under composting conditions; they can also be recycled. British supermarket giant Sainsbury's has also introduced biodegradable wrap and trays for organic foods, and other UK grocery chains are starting to use biodegradable films and grocery bags. Coca-Cola is looking into compostable bottles for its drinks as well, and Nestle has come up with trays for chocolates sold in Britain that disintegrate on contact with water.