Hoshino debuts "biodegradable" FD-300 flash drive

It's far from the first company to attempt to make a more environmentally-friendly flash drive, but given the near disposable nature of them these days, that's not exactly a bad thing. This latest drive from Hong Kong-based Hoshino also takes a decidedly different approach than other drives that simply keep the hazardous chemicals and whatnot to a minimum, with it actually constructed out of polylactide (or PLA) made from corn that is, technically, biodegradable. The downside is that in order for it to be broken down, PLA needs to be blasted with heat for ten days on end at a specialized facility, which isn't exactly the most direct route back into the ground, or an accessible option for everybody at the moment (there's also the small matter of it being based on a food product). The drive also apparently isn't available to the general public just yet, but companies interested in doing business with Hoshino can contact 'em for more details.

[Via Everything USB, background on PLA via Smithsonian Magazine]

[nak @ Aug 8th 2008 4:08PM]

It seems like the energy needed to blast devices with heat for 10 days might be worse than just tossing a much smaller flash drive in the trash. And can't plastic be recycled anyway? I mean, if people really wanted to bother...

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Aug 9th 2008 2:52AM]

I don't read gizmodo. I remember using them, buying them quite frequently, and a recent trip to the store to find more turned up nothing. They used to be square shaped tubes.

[Hexing @ Aug 9th 2008 5:17AM]

does the fact that it looks like a corn make it easy to recycle? Stupid me, I thought it just used more plastic then other drives.

[rony @ Aug 8th 2008 4:13PM]

that can hardly be called bio-degradable....Bill Gates would never have allowed Microsoft to produce a half-assed product like that.

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Aug 8th 2008 10:58PM]

Does anyone remember those green and yellow pens from the early 1990's (1992-1995-ish) that were made from corn and were said to be bio degradeable? I suspect this is the same thing.

[Dave Chappelle @ Aug 8th 2008 11:49PM]

You got that from gizmodo didnt you?

this exact report was on there 3 days ago. and some guy mentioned remembering seeing the 'bio' pen for the first time lol.

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Aug 9th 2008 2:53AM]

I don't read gizmodo. I remember using them, buying them quite frequently, and a recent trip to the store to find more turned up nothing. They used to be square shaped tubes.

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Aug 11th 2008 3:54AM]

*By them I mean the old corn pens. They even had a corn cob-esque shaped cap.

[EricR @ Aug 8th 2008 4:28PM]

10 days on end? That sounds more like bio-indestructable.

[Allen Jazeera @ Aug 8th 2008 4:32PM]

Is that a yellow grenade? Oh, CORN. I see.
So does it pop when you plug it in?

[Sabba @ Aug 8th 2008 6:20PM]

that's what i thought to. I thought they were following the handgun-bluetooth headset idea. a grenade usb drive so that every time you want to load a file you blow yourself up.

...too bad.

[TRAFFICBLOWS @ Aug 8th 2008 8:09PM]

nah, use this to pop corn with usb:

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1477646/usb_popcorn_maker

[required @ Aug 8th 2008 4:38PM]

this is so nonsensical that I am forced believe that there is a typo somewhere as that is a very big asterisk to place after biodegradable

[giuliop @ Aug 8th 2008 4:44PM]

I thought it had always been - why, isn't crap biodegradable?

(Sorry - not an Apple/iPhone hater nor lover, just couldn't keep my poisonous-tongued persona).

[Thitisilp @ Aug 8th 2008 5:32PM]

Hey!
This is not true totally BS !!!!
"PLA needs to be blasted with heat for ten days on end at a specialized facility,"

The truth is PLA is a plastic made from sugar that derived from corn starch. It is sensitive to water (water makes it weaker). In order for PLA to be broken down, it has to subjected water and moderately high temperature, which will broken down long molecule of PLA into sugar smaller molecule, such as lactic acid and then those small molecules are eaten by microbes. There's no need for blasting with heat.

The best place for PLA to decompose is in compost pile, that PLA can be completely biodegrade in 30 days (all molecules are eaten by microbes not just disappear out of sight). If PLA is buried in soil, the biodegradation process still takes place but at slower rate.

Please be careful with the article you put here. Don't create misconception.

[required @ Aug 8th 2008 6:43PM]

thank you!

[Ghen @ Aug 8th 2008 10:35PM]

He was just trying to be corny jeez. Even if the article was a few kernels short of an ear you don't have to husk Donald like that.

[BigD145 @ Aug 8th 2008 5:35PM]

Go back to peanut oil and stop futzing with corn.

[Jhongerkong @ Aug 8th 2008 5:35PM]

They're ribbed for her pleasure

[Pei @ Aug 8th 2008 6:39PM]

Leave the corn alone!!!

P.S. Corn is awesome

P.S.S. Corn= win

P.S.S.S. If your wondering why I'm defending the corn... I'm from Iowa, nuff said.

[jkr @ Aug 8th 2008 6:53PM]

Tastes like chicken.

[T-Bone @ Aug 8th 2008 7:15PM]

That's just what I want, a flash drive designed to break.

[JAY JAY @ Aug 8th 2008 7:24PM]

A BIODEGRADABLE FLASH DRIVE? That would come in handy for my spy Reconnaissance missions... OH. Did i just say that?

[Mav @ Aug 8th 2008 11:52PM]

What are they expecting to happen in the next 20 years, land fills of flash drives they can't get rid of.

[Nate DiDonato @ Aug 9th 2008 1:46AM]

I remember those yellow and green pens. A teacher in my elementary school handed a few out (shows you my age).

Biodegradable corn starch-based packing peanuts have been around for some time. If you have any packing peanuts laying around, try dunking one in some water. If it melts, you got one, if not, it's good ole' Styrofoam.

[Erik @ Aug 9th 2008 2:51AM]

"If it melts, you got one" - You mean you had one...

[Free ps3 @ Aug 11th 2008 1:11PM]

Taists like chicken, a bit Corny!