Step aside, metal straws. Rice straws are now the new environmentally-friendly option to look out for. Plus, they are edible – for whenever you’re feeling a bit peckish – and fully biodegradable.
In the campaign against single-use plastics, many consumers are looking towards more environmentally-responsible alternatives. While there was a recent shift to metal straws, it seems like the trend is slowly dying down. Metal straws are reusable, however, they present some concerns to consumers as well.
Firstly, the production of metal straws require more energy and resources, and mining for these resources are bad for the environment. Secondly, metal straws require a lot of water and detergent to clean, on top of hygiene concerns.
In comes rice straws.
Made out of rice and tapioca, these rice straws are 100% natural for both human consumption and the environment. If you’re feeling hungry, you can even eat these straws – even though we doubt that it’ll have any taste. However, if you just leave it aside, it will decompose by itself within 90 days, producing little to no waste.
If their environmental purposes are not enough to convince you, they serve their function as well. They can hold up in cold drinks for about 4-10 hours, and 2-3 hours in hot drinks. That is more than enough time for you to finish your drink!
They are also halal-certified, so our Muslim friends can use these rice straws as well.
This invention has come at the perfect time, considering that many eateries have announced that they will stop giving out single-use plastic straws starting from 1 July 2019. For some outlets like KFC, they have already implemented this policy for a while. Many schools have also begun to put in action no-straw policies within their premises.
With the commercialisation of rice straws, we’re hoping that these food and beverage outlets will adopt them and start giving out rice straws instead. Drinking without a straw is just not the same, as many have complained when straws are not offered at their dining location.
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Consumers can also rest assured about the price of these rice straws as the Penang-based company has promised that they will be a more affordable option to other environmentally-friendly straws.
Will rice straws be able to completely replace plastic straws in the near future? Tell us what you think in the comments!
