BANGKOK — The manufacturer of popular chocolate malt product “Milo” in Thailand said on Wednesday it ditched plastic straws in favor of a paper-based alternative, which the company said is more eco-friendly.
Nestle said its introduction of bendable and compostable paper straw is among the first in Thailand, where packaged drinks still come with plastic straws. Although new Milo straws are still wrapped in plastic, the firm said the innovation will eliminate more than 100 million plastic straws by the end of 2021.
Some companies in Thailand like coffeehouse chain Starbucks have already switched to paper straws in an attempt to reduce plastic waste, but customers complain the straws tend to get soggy after a brief period of use. Milo said its straws are made of more durable material and do not have the same problem.
According to UK-based market research company YouGov, one-fourth of Thais surveyed said they use plastic straws several times a day.
A research by the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources also found that plastic straws are the second highest contributor to ocean plastic waste.
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