For the green world of the future, let's use paperCan the "hard battle" between environmental protection and plastic be solved by paper straws?
Can the "hard battle" between environmental protection and plastic be solved by paper straws?
According to the BBC report, McDonald's acknowledges that its "environmentally friendly" straws cannot be recycled for the time being, and due to the thickness of the straws, they can only be disposed of as general waste.
After environmental protection is valued, not only McDonald's, many well-known restaurants have adopted measures to replace plastic straws with paper straws. There have been two opposing voices on the market for the application of paper straws.
"The use of paper straws will affect the taste of drinks, especially beverages similar to milkshakes. After drinking half, the paper straws often break or crack." Most people who disagree think so.
"Although paper straws cannot be recycled, they can be biodegradable. Plastic straws can be recycled, but they cannot be degraded. In comparison, paper straws are less harmful to pollution of the ocean and soil." Those who agree say this .
China's "plastic restriction order" has been in place for 11 years, but the amount of plastic used is still amazing. According to statistics, in the hot summer, a net of red milk tea shops produced nearly 50 cups of milk tea in 15 minutes. Counting on one straw per cup of tea, there were 200 plastic straws in one hour. A media survey found that most beverage stores provide plastic straws, and there is no limit on the number of customers that can take them, so that more plastic waste will be generated.
Data show that, including plastic straws, more than 8 million tons of plastic waste from the world enters the ocean every year, which has severely affected marine life, fisheries, and tourism, and caused economic losses of 8 billion US dollars. In response to this crisis, countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States will completely ban the use of plastic straws.
If this goes on, plastic straws will be replaced sooner or later. The paper straw currently has three problems that need to be further solved: one is that the paper straw is too thick and difficult to recycle; the other is that the paper straw is too thin and will be soaked. The straw cannot be used without drinking; Compared with plastic straws, drinking taste is not good.
In order to solve the problem of plastic straws, beverage shops and other companies have joined the queue of environmental protection forces. For example, Hi Tea launched the Green Hi Tea Program, which promotes the use of "green inspired paper straws". Paper straws are made of imported food-grade kraft paper and are environmentally friendly and naturally degradable. In addition, Hi Tea also encourages customers to bring their own cups. Anyone who brings their own designated cups to Xi Tea Store to purchase tea can enjoy discounts.
As a global chain of cafes, Starbucks has also launched "paper straws" and "straight drink cup lids without straws" in response to environmental protection calls. In this way, even if a paper straw is not used instead of a plastic straw, there are other ways to reduce the use of plastic.
Professor Zhou Ninglin, a professor at the School of Chemistry and Materials Science of Nanjing Normal University, pointed out that although the plastic straws can reach the level of food use, the problem of its non-recyclability has not been solved. Before finding a degradable method, the plastic straws need to be slowly removed, and Balance the sense of use with the environment.
It is a matter of time before the "plastic restriction order" evolves into a "plastic restriction order". It is understood that Hainan has accelerated the "prohibition of plastics" this year, setting a good omen for China's "plastic war and plastic decision". It must be clearly known that the comprehensive ban on plastics is not only a plastic straw, but also plastic bags that are often used in our daily shopping and shopping. It will be a "tough battle."
