Since the turn of the year Wimpy UK has replaced plastic straws across all its restaurants with bio-degradable paper straws. The move reinforces the company’s commitment to reducing non-recyclable waste throughout its estate.
Chris Woolfenden, general manager of Wimpy UK, said: “We’re making good on the promise we made in 2018 to source a sustainable and suitable alternative to plastic straws. We are delighted to have come up with a solution which we believe will go down extremely well with customers and adds a big tick to our sustainability goals.”
The brightly-coloured red and white paper straws are made from FSC managed forests and are 100% bio-degradable. They can be composted – breaking down within four to six weeks – and can also be disposed of as food waste.
Suitable for both hot and cold drinks, the straws come in two sizes, a larger one for thick shakes and a normal size for soft or sparkling drinks.
Technical details:
- 100% compostable credentials;
- The straws are made from a special blend of bamboo and wood pulp, giving the paper the best liquid resistance;
- No plastic lamination is used inside or outside the straws;
- Each straw has a six hour use time when totally submerged;
- The ink is made from soy based, food safe, natural and toxin free colourings;
- The glue used in the three ply construction of the straws is a 100% natural, food safe, plant-based glue, which has been specially developed to be safely compostable at the same rate as the straws.
In summer 2018, Wimpy also introduced 100% recyclable menus made from a new biodegradable laminate and, says Mr Woolfenden, the company is continually looking for new opportunities to add to its sustainability credentials.