Tetra Pak has announced plans to launch a paper straw for its portion-sized carton packages to help address plastic straw waste.
To date, the company has been encouraging consumers to push straws “back in the pack” once empty so they can be collected along with the rest of the package.
Now, work is underway to develop a paper straw that's suitable for use on portion-size carton packages.
Executive VP of product management and commercial operations Charles Brand says there are, however, "a number of significant challenges to producing a paper straw with the required properties”.
That said, his development team has a paper straw alternative ready to launch by the end of the year.
On average, Tetra Pak packages are close to 75 per cent paperboard.
Paper straws would be another step towards the company’s long-term ambition of offering a completely renewable portfolio.
