02 May 2018 Tetra Pak to develop paper straws for its portion-size carton packages

Tetra Pak says it aims to launch a paper straw suitable for its portion-sized carton packages before the end of the year, as part of a broader programme to help address the issue of plastic straw waste.

Straws play an integral role for portion packages that must be consumed on-the-go but they are also a part of the plastics waste problem.

Tetra Pak has been working to encourage consumers to push straws back in the pack once they have consumed the contents so they can be collected along with the rest of the package.

Now work is under way to develop a paper straw that is suitable for use on its portion-size carton packages.

“It sounds simple enough,” says Charles Brand, Executive VP, Product Management & Commercial Operations, “but in reality there are a number of significant challenges to producing a paper straw with the required properties.”

“That said, our development team is confident they can find a solution, and that we’ll have a paper straw alternative ready to launch by the end of the year.”

Tetra Pak packages are, on average, 75% paperboard. Paper straws would be another important step towards the company’s long-term ambition of offering a completely renewable portfolio, it adds.

Source: Tetra Pak