Innovation with integrity

The single-use plastic ban in India, Europe, and Canada is continuing to impact how customers and manufacturers think about single-use plastics. Europe and Canada are eliminating single-use plastics this summer, and India has announced that it would eliminate single-use plastics by the end of 2022, including plastic straws. Numerous global companies, including Starbucks, McDonald’s, and Hyatt, have pledged to stop using plastic straws and are actively seeking alternatives. 

Choosing the right adhesive is key to creating a long-lasting paper straw. No one wants to have a soggy straw fall apart while enjoying their favorite beverage.

With very cost-effective paper straws, oftentimes you may notice that the end of the straw sitting in the drink starts to swell and close, which may spoil the consumer experience. If paper straw manufacturers don’t utilize a liquid resistant, food safe paper straw adhesive, the straw softens quickly, and the consumer may be at risk of ingesting undesired substances. Food safe means that a product poses no harm to human health. Food safe products must comply with regulatory guidelines for consumer food safety. BfR XXXVI is the food safety provision for paper and cardboard in Germany that is commonly used in the European Union and UK. FDA 176.170 is the comparable legal provision for paper and board intended for food contact in the United States.

Manufacturers of paper straws often sell non-food-safe straws in developing geographies, like India, China, Southeast Asia, and even the United States. There are several risks to distributors and brands purchasing non-food-safe straws, including poor user experience, such as the straw having an odor or a bad taste, or the straw becoming soggy within just a few minutes of being placed in the beverage, and most concerning, ingestion of chemical substances, which could be harmful to the user’s health.

Solution for increasing demand for food-safe paper straws

With increasing awareness around health concerns, many manufacturers are paying more attention and are ensuring they provide food-safe, paper straws to their customers. Straws made with paper straw adhesivesmeet BfRXXXVI and FDA 176.170 regulatory guidelines and have been validated by external testing institutes regarding migration levels, both for overall migration and mineral oil migration. When fully cured, water-based adhesives offer the water-resistance desired for paper straws and the food-safe confidence demanded by consumers.

And finally, when considering your product’s total cost of ownership - excels in increasing uptime and decreasing your cost per paper straw. Adhesives are fast-setting products that are easier and cleaner to work with and cause less wear and tear on machinery.

As beverage brands, restaurants and corporations make the transition from plastic to paper straws, it’s important that they offer liquid resistant, food-safe straws made for a more sustainable future.