Suck it up for the planet

Suck it up for the planet

On a single day in 2018, volunteers around the world collected more than 3.6 million plastic straws and stirrers from beaches and waterways.

Each and every year, at least 8 million tonnes of plastic enter the ocean; the equivalent to emptying a rubbish truck load of plastic into the sea each minute. According to a National Geographic estimate, in just the U.S. alone, 500 million straws are used every single day and as many as 8.3 billion plastic straws pollute the world's beaches.

Plastic straws overflow landfills, kill marine life and lead to rubbish-clogged oceans. Made from oil-based materials such as polypropylene, an astronomical number of them are used annually.

Their life span is short. They get pulled from a paper sheath, swim around in an over-priced drink for about three minutes and then, die. Yet their afterlife is long. When not suffocating and strangling birds, fish, sea mammals and turtles, they break down into microplastics, pervading the food chain.

Across the globe, many companies and individuals have stopped using plastic straws and are instead choosing paper straws as an eco-friendly alternative.

Plastic straws are with us for centuries, unlike paper straws. If a paper straw makes its way to the ocean, it’s much more likely to biodegrade, or disintegrate, causing much less harm to marine animals. Paper straws can decompose back into the earth within 2-6 weeks as opposed to plastic straws, which can last up to 200 years.

If your business is considering a switch from plastic straws to eco-friendly straws, bioplastic or paper straws from Insinc could be the solution.

When considering which straws to choose for your business, both the upstream (manufacture) and downstream effect (disposal) needs to be taken into consideration. Using environmentally friendly alternatives like paper straws and PLA straws ensure both the manufacturing process and disposal of the straws after use reduces your overall carbon footprint. So, if you, like us, want to make a difference, simply call 0508 467 462 to speak to a member of our team about our eco-friendly straws. 

Raw materials in the straws we sell at Insinc are made from renewable and sustainably managed plant-based materials.

Paper straws

• Made from FSC certified paper (paper sourced sustainably)
• 3ply for strength
• Recyclable
• Home compostable
• Customised branding available

PLA straws

PLA is a poly lactic acid. It is 100% biodegradable and made from corn, potatoes, sugar cane or beets. PLA straws

• Look and feel like plastic straws
• Need to be stored in less than 40 degrees
• Lower carbon footprint than plastic (up to 80% fewer greenhouse gases)
• Commercially compostable

If you are looking to display your sustainability efforts, using paper straws can make it obvious to your customers that you consider the full product lifecycle and are making an effort to leave a smaller footprint on the earth. The team at Insinc is passionate about the environment and are proud stockists of a range of paper and PLA straws. We have an extensive range of eco-friendly straws to choose from at competitive prices.