The Benefits of Biodegradable Straws

Drinking with a straw may come to your mind when you drink from a fountain or give a drink to a child. Straws are also a more sanitary method of consuming liquids when the rim of a glass may not be clean.

A drinking straw has many benefits. However, most straws are made of plastic, which is bad for the environment. On the other hand, the use of biodegradable straws is a terrific way to protect your teeth enamel while also being good for the environment. 

Thousands of drinking straws are used daily in Australia and around the world. Replacing drinking straws with biodegradable ones can remarkably decrease the amount of plastic in the environment.

What Is a Biodegradable Straw?

In an increasingly eco-conscious world, biodegradable is a term people hear a lot. However, with more and more products claiming this label, it is crucial to know what biodegradability is all about.

Biodegradable materials break down into smaller pieces once they are disposed of.

All materials undergo decomposition, even plastics that break down into tiny fragments called microplastics, which are smaller than 5 mm. Materials that can be called biodegradable are those that decompose into an organic substance with the help of the bacteria and leave no toxins behind.

Alternatives to plastic straws include biodegradable products made from organic materials, such as bamboo and paper. These biodegradable straws break down in as little as a few weeks and leave no traces.

Nevertheless, both businesses and individuals must know what they are buying. There are straws marketed as biodegradable, but they don’t break down completely. 

Are Biodegradable Straws Good?

The following are reasons to switch to biodegradable straws for your business or personal use.

Biodegradable Straws Are Eco-Friendly

The primary benefit of biodegradable straws is that they make your business or company more eco-friendly. These straws are manufactured by utilising renewable sources. Therefore, by supporting their production, you are helping to keep garbage and toxic materials out of landfills.

Fewer carbon emissions are also released when manufacturing biodegradable plastic straws. Hence, you can cut down on air pollution by using them.

Also, less energy is consumed when biodegradable straws are produced, unlike plastic straws that require vast amounts of energy and fossil fuels. By making the switch, you can do your part to promote less energy consumption.

Biodegradable Straws Are Recyclable and Break Down Quickly

Biodegradable straws can be recycled. Most plastic straws emit harmful chemicals when burned and cannot be recycled in the traditional sense. By contrast, biodegradable straws contain zero toxins, making them easy to recycle.

Furthermore, biodegradable straws are made from materials that break down quickly. While plastic straws take years to decompose, biodegradable straws can degrade into organic material in only a few months. Therefore, if you dispose of these straws, you will not have to worry about them staying in a landfill for decades. 

Biodegradable Straws Protect Marine Life

Many scientists consider plastic straws a major threat to oceans. Most discarded straws end up in seas and oceans because the wind blows them out or people leave them on beaches where they are swept away by waves.

Plastic is hazardous for ocean life, including fish and seagulls. These animals could die after accidentally ingesting plastic material.

Biodegradable straws do not come with this problem because they are made from renewable materials. These straws decompose in a short amount of time so there is only a small chance of them ending up in bodies of water. If you are concerned about protecting marine life, you must consider biodegradable straws in the future.

Biodegradable Straws Help You Save Money

Biodegradable straws are made from inexpensive materials like paper. For this reason, these straws are relatively low cost and can be bought in bulk. If you want to save money on straws for your business or office, you should consider purchasing biodegradable straws.

Biodegradable Straws Are Made of Non-Toxic Materials

Plastics take as long as a thousand years to disappear completely. During this slow process, plastics leach chemicals into the environment.

For example, plastics in the ocean are believed to release bisphenol A (BPA). This toxic chemical interferes with the hormones of animals once ingested. Similar dangerous substances are released by plastics that end up in landfills and cause harm to local soil systems and rivers.

However, this is not the case with biodegradable straws. They are made from organic materials and do not release these toxic substances. Their chemical structure is digested by bacteria easily and returns to organic matter.

 

Are Biodegradable Straws Really Biodegradable?

Biodegradable plastic straws can still take many years to decompose in the absence of favourable conditions. Meanwhile, paper straws are both biodegradable and compostable. Once they are disposed of or wind up in the sea, they will start to degrade within a few weeks. Other biodegradable straws that are made from plant-based sources can decompose naturally in a commercial compost facility.

 

Bonnie Bio – Sustainable Compostable Packaging in Australia

Consumers and governments across the world are finally becoming aware of the damage done by disposable plastics. Most people are now making the transition to sustainable alternatives. Biodegradable straws have concrete ecological benefits without sacrificing crucial aspects of the user experience.

Are you also planning to do the switch? 

Get your supplies of environment-friendly straws and other products from Bonnie Bio. We offer internationally certified compostable plastic alternatives, including compostable rubbish bags or bin liners, straws, cutlery sets and gloves. For more information about our products, call us on (03) 9460 5655 today.