The new compostable straws are manufactured using Nodax polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), a Danimer Scientific’s biopolymer which serves as an alternative to petrochemical plastics
Image: Danimer Scientific partnered with UrthPact to produce new compostable drinking straws. Photo: courtesy of rodgersm222 from Pixabay.
US-based biodegradable plastic materials developer and manufacturer Danimer Scientific has partnered with UrthPact to manufacture drinking straws that are fully biodegradable in the environment.
The new straws are expected to be fully-biodegradable in the environment ranging from waste treatment facilities to home compost piles, waterways and oceans.
The new straws are manufactured using Nodax polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), a biopolymer of Danimer Scientific.
PHA was verified as a biodegradable alternative to petrochemical plastics in a study led by University of Georgia (UGA) researchers along with the members of the UGA New Materials Institute in 2018.
UrthPact is currently providing single-use straws certified for industrial composting while straws certified for home composting and marine degradation are expected to be offered in the first quarter of 2020.
The partnership will help reduce eight million tonnes of plastic waste entering into oceans every year
Danimer Scientific said that the products manufactured through their partnership will help to reduce eight million tonnes of plastic waste entering into oceans yearly.
Danimer Scientific CEO Stephen Croskrey said: “Reducing the environmental impacts of single-use plastics is a critical issue that will get worse the longer it goes unaddressed, so it has been encouraging to see industry leaders swiftly collaborate on solutions.
“Since developing a prototype for the first fully biodegradable plastic straw last year, our team has worked diligently with UrthPact to make it commercially available.”
UrthPact CEO Paul Boudreau said: “Cities and businesses are exploring outright bans of single-use plastic straws. This may not be a viable option for every business segment within the global market.
“One ideal solution is a single-use straw that offers the durability and reliability of traditional plastic without the environmental impact that it can leave upon disposal.”
UrthPact manufactures straws in its Safe Quality Foods (SQF) certified plants along with compostable single-use plastic products, including coffee pods, valves, cutlery, bottles, caps and more.
In September this year, WinCup, a US-based disposable foodservice to-go ware manufacturer, has produced a new line of marine and soil biodegradable straws and stirrers.