Drink Asia July August 2019 | Page 29

The main advantage of using paper straws over plastic ones is that paper is biodegradable or it can be naturally broken down degrade faster with a much smaller impact on the environment. They break down quickly and are compostable. However, they cost a little more than their plastic counterparts. The demand for paper straws is increasing substantially with a significant number of food outlets using these biodegradable straws in their drinks. Preference for takeaway food or ready to eat food is increasing which, in turn, increases the demand for food packaging material. Also, owing to the plastic straw ban in many countries paper straws are becoming increasingly popular. One important factor that has driven the growth of the paper straw market is the consumer inclination towards eco-friendly as well as convenient products. To make it more appealing, manufacturers are providing printed paper straws of appealing designs to grab consumer attention. They are a durable and sustainable alternative to plastic straws and are grabbing attention in the marketplace. In spite of this, the high cost of paper straws as compared to plastic straws might hinder the growth of the paper straw market. Paper straws cost ten times higher than plastic straws, which may affect the market negatively. The high cost is due to high-quality paper, binder and additives used during the manufacturing process. However, techniques such as the use of recycled raw materials and improving product efficiency are being tried to lower the cost. Factors Affecting the Growth of the Paper Straw Industry There are many other factors that hinder the growth of the paper straw industry. To make a paper straw, 3-4 layers of paper are wrapped around a mould and a number of additives are added to make it more durable than a conventional straw. In order to withstand the rigours of converting, the speciality paper used for manufacturing straws needs to be strong. The paper must also be water resistant so that the finished product doesn’t fall apart in a drink, yet biodegradable to be environment-friendly. The equipment used for making paper straws is also slow, producing just 150-200 straws Drink Asia 29 July-August 2019 per minute compared to machines that can extrude 2000 plus plastic straws per minute. Meeting these challenges is not easy. Efforts are being made by companies worldwide to meet the demand for a sustainable alternative for plastic straws. A Conflicting Opinion The main advantage of using paper straws over plastic ones is that paper is biodegradable or it can be naturally broken down. However, if the paper contains a lot of pulp, it wouldn’t break down completely even after a very long time. After all, even paper straws are single-use items that just add up to the waste generated. Also, paper production has a much larger environmental footprint than plastic production. While using paper straws might have a few advantages, the only way to make a difference in the environment is to stop using single-use straws altogether. Consumers need to be educated to change lifestyles so that items can be reused in order to reduce waste generation.