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.