Greene King pubs swap plastic for compostable straws

UK pub chain Greene King is replacing single-use plastic straws with a compostable alternative as it strives to send zero waste to landfill by 2020.

Greene King is replacing plastic straws with compostable alternatives

Greene King will introduce the compostable PLA straws across its 1,750 pubs, which it estimates will remove more than 30 million plastic straws.

PLA is made from plant-based materials such as sugar cane and corn starch, and decomposes naturally in a controlled composting environment in 12 weeks using the same microorganisms that decompose organic materials.

The straws will be recycled into nutrient-rich soil, which can then be used to fertilise plants and crops.

Earlier this year, the group removed recyclable plastic straws from the bar and has since only served them on demand, which resulted in a 60% reduction in straw use.

Greg Sage, communications director, said: “We are committed to reducing our impact on the environment and reducing single use plastics in our business.

“At the beginning of the year we removed our recyclable straws from the bar and provided them only on demand, which saw a 60% reduction, while we looked at a more sustainable alternative.

“We have taken the time to listen to our customers as we know how important this issue is. Our closed-loop solution will ensure all PLA straws are correctly disposed of and decomposed into nutrient-rich soil, providing peace of mind for our customers who like the choice of a straw with their drink.”

Many on-trade venues have been moving towards reducing or eradicating plastic straws in an effort to create a more sustainable industry.

In September last year, British pub chain JD Wetherspoon promised to stop using plastic straws across its 900 venues in the UK and the Republic of Ireland by the end of the year.

The UK’s largest nightclub operator, the Deltic Group, removed plastic straws from its establishments earlier this year as part of its #nostrawsattached campaign.