We are all aware that plastic straws are “bad” and that paper straws are probably better, and over time, globally we’ve witnessed numerous companies and individuals switching to paper straws instead of plastic, choosing paper over plastic as an eco-friendly alternative.
As plastic production has increased, its effects on the environment have also risen, especially on the world’s oceans. Plastic straws are a significant part of that effect; designed as a single-use product that is not recyclable, it contributes significant amounts of waste that ends up in landfills or our oceans.
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Nestlé Milo becomes the first ready-to-drink (RTD) beverage in the country to switch to paper straws[/caption]
A commonly known fact confirmed by the World Wide Fund for Nature is that a single plastic straw can take up to 200 years to decompose. They are not biodegradable; instead, they slowly fragment into smaller and smaller plastics known as microplastics, which fish and marine animals mistake for food, thereby ingesting the plastic. It’s estimated that up to 71% of seabirds and 30% of turtles end up ingesting plastic into their stomachs.
Beyond strangulation of marine life, a larger reason plastic is so dangerous is that it releases toxic chemicals like bisphenol-A (BPA) when it breaks down. Plastic straws are made out of polypropylene – a petroleum by-product, and so, when plastic straws begin to decompose, they release harmful toxins like BPA that pollute our oceans.
And because of all these risk factors, many industries across the world have started to ban plastic straws in lieu of alternatives.
In Sri Lanka, late to the game but making an effort nonetheless, we saw Nestlé Milo become the first ready-to-drink (RTD) beverage in the country to switch to paper straws.
The move is said to enable the company to eliminate the use of 90 million plastic straws a year, and makes the all-new Milo packaging 100% recyclable. The company stated that this initiative is one of the many actions Nestlé is taking to reduce any negative environmental impact of its packaging.
In light of this new development, we reached out to some individuals who have championed the cause of sustainable packaging, to share their thoughts on Nestlé Lanka’s attempts. Speaking to Ananta Sustainables Founder and MSH Packaging Industries (Pvt.) Ltd. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Savera Weerasinghe, she said: “It is commendable for anyone to take an initiative to reduce their single-use plastic, however small this effort may be. It is a collective of small and gargantuan efforts that will enable us to tackle the waste crisis we are facing. However, something we always remind the clients we consult, is that the real commitment to reducing one’s plastic footprint is to reduce its negative impact and this is where a company should focus its efforts. Mixed materials like the Tetra Pak create the greatest problem for waste management, so concerted efforts to reduce waste from single-use packaging will have far greater impact than just changing a part of the packaging.”
Similarly, Greenventure Lanka Director Melinda De Zoysa said there’s a lot to be said about the Sri Lankan mentality when it comes to sustainable alternatives. She said that there is a general lack of awareness when it comes to the importance of sustainable packaging, and the importance of being eco-friendly, adding that it is not just the plastic straw that needs replacing; there are a plethora of changes we must adopt and as quickly as possible. While she said that paper straws are, after all, a single-use, disposable consumer item, this isn’t to say that reducing plastic straw use doesn’t matter, she added. She said it is an important first step towards drastically limiting plastic in the ocean, by psychologically motivating people to engage in similar behaviours.
As is usual with new developments such as this, there were positive as well as negative reactions from the public in terms of product experience. While many recognised the fact that an effort has been made towards reducing plastic pollution, there were some practical drawbacks that were shared. Some of the public expressed their dissatisfaction with the experience of using the paper straw, which tends to turn soggy as the cold drink travels through it. Additionally, it was stated that the new paper straw cannot be used to puncture through the sealed entrance point of the packet, while the most notable piece of feedback from the public was that the paper straw itself comes in a thin plastic wrapping.
Speaking with Nestlé Lanka Senior Manager – Corporate Communications Samantha Mendis-Wedage, we posed this question to her and she shared that they have not yet found a paper wrap for the paper straw that meets their quality and food safety requirements. However, she noted: “We are currently working on a paper wrap solution that meets our standards and we will implement this as soon as it is available. In the interim, the plastic wrapper ensures the paper straw is protected from moisture and contamination, and is safe to drink from. The plastic wrapper, like the rest of the Milo UHT pack, is 100% recyclable.”
With regards to some of the feedback they have so far observed, she shared that using a paper straw is completely new to most of their consumers, and while most are appreciative of its positive environmental impact, others need time to adjust to the new user experience. She said that they are listening carefully to the feedback they receive and are doing their best to advise and support their consumers on how to use the paper straw for a positive experience. She added: “We urge anyone wanting tips on how to use the paper straw to reach out to us on our 24/7 customer service hotline 0114 724 724 or visit @MiloSriLanka on Facebook or Instagram.”
Whatever’s been said and done in the world of corporates, Nestlé in particular has racked up a reputation on a global scale, being named as the third most polluting company in the world, for the third time in a row, by Break Free From Plastic in its third Annual Report “BRANDED Vol III: Demanding Corporate Accountability for Plastic Pollution” in December 2020. The top spot went to Coca-Cola, while Pepsico followed in second place. As part of Nestle’s efforts to address this, in Sri Lanka, in addition to the aforementioned new paper straw, the company has announced yet another interesting new development.
They’ve announced that in addition to the switch to a paper straw, supported by processing and packaging solutions company Tetra Pak and food and beverage (F&B) industry leaders, a facility for recycling aseptic beverage cartons (the tetra packs we all consume our one-time drinks in) has been set up in collaboration with local recycler Eco Maximus, which is located in Kegalle. The plant will recycle Milo RTD and is said to benefit the entire aseptic beverage carton industry in Sri Lanka.
According to recycling plant Eco Friends Founder Mark Perera, for the longest time Sri Lanka did not have this technology to recycle aseptic beverage cartons, and he shared that this initiative is an incredibly admirable initiative, that is potentially ground-breaking.
Sharing his thoughts about this new development, University of Colombo Department of Zoology and Environment Sciences Prof. Sarath W. Kotagama opined that if it were just the straws, then they really should’ve done this long ago. He stated that often, corporates, as of recent times, have been making decisions that allow them to jump on the most popular and most profitable bandwagon. However, if there is a feasible implementation of the new setup for recycling, then he applauds it.
However, Prof. Kotagama stated that what comes next is the most important part, which is creating awareness and a system that collects these packs in order to direct them to these recycling plants; an effective enough collection method that results in minimum waste getting deposited all over our wilderness.
With regards to these concerns expressed by Prof. Kotagama, Nestlé Lanka actually has a response, with Mendis-Wedage stating that they are recycling small quantities in a trial capacity at the moment but will be fully operational soon. She said: “At the moment, we are working through service providers with select municipal councils to collect plastic waste. However, now that the lockdown is lifted, we are developing more waste collection points for our used aseptic beverage cartons. Our aim is to recycle as much as we can and we will announce these waste collection points shortly.”
Nestlé Milo becomes the first ready-to-drink (RTD) beverage in the country to switch to paper straws[/caption]
A commonly known fact confirmed by the World Wide Fund for Nature is that a single plastic straw can take up to 200 years to decompose. They are not biodegradable; instead, they slowly fragment into smaller and smaller plastics known as microplastics, which fish and marine animals mistake for food, thereby ingesting the plastic. It’s estimated that up to 71% of seabirds and 30% of turtles end up ingesting plastic into their stomachs.
Beyond strangulation of marine life, a larger reason plastic is so dangerous is that it releases toxic chemicals like bisphenol-A (BPA) when it breaks down. Plastic straws are made out of polypropylene – a petroleum by-product, and so, when plastic straws begin to decompose, they release harmful toxins like BPA that pollute our oceans.
And because of all these risk factors, many industries across the world have started to ban plastic straws in lieu of alternatives.
In Sri Lanka, late to the game but making an effort nonetheless, we saw Nestlé Milo become the first ready-to-drink (RTD) beverage in the country to switch to paper straws.
The move is said to enable the company to eliminate the use of 90 million plastic straws a year, and makes the all-new Milo packaging 100% recyclable. The company stated that this initiative is one of the many actions Nestlé is taking to reduce any negative environmental impact of its packaging.
In light of this new development, we reached out to some individuals who have championed the cause of sustainable packaging, to share their thoughts on Nestlé Lanka’s attempts. Speaking to Ananta Sustainables Founder and MSH Packaging Industries (Pvt.) Ltd. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Savera Weerasinghe, she said: “It is commendable for anyone to take an initiative to reduce their single-use plastic, however small this effort may be. It is a collective of small and gargantuan efforts that will enable us to tackle the waste crisis we are facing. However, something we always remind the clients we consult, is that the real commitment to reducing one’s plastic footprint is to reduce its negative impact and this is where a company should focus its efforts. Mixed materials like the Tetra Pak create the greatest problem for waste management, so concerted efforts to reduce waste from single-use packaging will have far greater impact than just changing a part of the packaging.”
Similarly, Greenventure Lanka Director Melinda De Zoysa said there’s a lot to be said about the Sri Lankan mentality when it comes to sustainable alternatives. She said that there is a general lack of awareness when it comes to the importance of sustainable packaging, and the importance of being eco-friendly, adding that it is not just the plastic straw that needs replacing; there are a plethora of changes we must adopt and as quickly as possible. While she said that paper straws are, after all, a single-use, disposable consumer item, this isn’t to say that reducing plastic straw use doesn’t matter, she added. She said it is an important first step towards drastically limiting plastic in the ocean, by psychologically motivating people to engage in similar behaviours.
As is usual with new developments such as this, there were positive as well as negative reactions from the public in terms of product experience. While many recognised the fact that an effort has been made towards reducing plastic pollution, there were some practical drawbacks that were shared. Some of the public expressed their dissatisfaction with the experience of using the paper straw, which tends to turn soggy as the cold drink travels through it. Additionally, it was stated that the new paper straw cannot be used to puncture through the sealed entrance point of the packet, while the most notable piece of feedback from the public was that the paper straw itself comes in a thin plastic wrapping.
Speaking with Nestlé Lanka Senior Manager – Corporate Communications Samantha Mendis-Wedage, we posed this question to her and she shared that they have not yet found a paper wrap for the paper straw that meets their quality and food safety requirements. However, she noted: “We are currently working on a paper wrap solution that meets our standards and we will implement this as soon as it is available. In the interim, the plastic wrapper ensures the paper straw is protected from moisture and contamination, and is safe to drink from. The plastic wrapper, like the rest of the Milo UHT pack, is 100% recyclable.”
With regards to some of the feedback they have so far observed, she shared that using a paper straw is completely new to most of their consumers, and while most are appreciative of its positive environmental impact, others need time to adjust to the new user experience. She said that they are listening carefully to the feedback they receive and are doing their best to advise and support their consumers on how to use the paper straw for a positive experience. She added: “We urge anyone wanting tips on how to use the paper straw to reach out to us on our 24/7 customer service hotline 0114 724 724 or visit @MiloSriLanka on Facebook or Instagram.”
Whatever’s been said and done in the world of corporates, Nestlé in particular has racked up a reputation on a global scale, being named as the third most polluting company in the world, for the third time in a row, by Break Free From Plastic in its third Annual Report “BRANDED Vol III: Demanding Corporate Accountability for Plastic Pollution” in December 2020. The top spot went to Coca-Cola, while Pepsico followed in second place. As part of Nestle’s efforts to address this, in Sri Lanka, in addition to the aforementioned new paper straw, the company has announced yet another interesting new development.
They’ve announced that in addition to the switch to a paper straw, supported by processing and packaging solutions company Tetra Pak and food and beverage (F&B) industry leaders, a facility for recycling aseptic beverage cartons (the tetra packs we all consume our one-time drinks in) has been set up in collaboration with local recycler Eco Maximus, which is located in Kegalle. The plant will recycle Milo RTD and is said to benefit the entire aseptic beverage carton industry in Sri Lanka.
According to recycling plant Eco Friends Founder Mark Perera, for the longest time Sri Lanka did not have this technology to recycle aseptic beverage cartons, and he shared that this initiative is an incredibly admirable initiative, that is potentially ground-breaking.
Sharing his thoughts about this new development, University of Colombo Department of Zoology and Environment Sciences Prof. Sarath W. Kotagama opined that if it were just the straws, then they really should’ve done this long ago. He stated that often, corporates, as of recent times, have been making decisions that allow them to jump on the most popular and most profitable bandwagon. However, if there is a feasible implementation of the new setup for recycling, then he applauds it.
However, Prof. Kotagama stated that what comes next is the most important part, which is creating awareness and a system that collects these packs in order to direct them to these recycling plants; an effective enough collection method that results in minimum waste getting deposited all over our wilderness.
With regards to these concerns expressed by Prof. Kotagama, Nestlé Lanka actually has a response, with Mendis-Wedage stating that they are recycling small quantities in a trial capacity at the moment but will be fully operational soon. She said: “At the moment, we are working through service providers with select municipal councils to collect plastic waste. However, now that the lockdown is lifted, we are developing more waste collection points for our used aseptic beverage cartons. Our aim is to recycle as much as we can and we will announce these waste collection points shortly.”