- Businesses Engage in Conflict Over Digital Protest Against Plastic Straws
Capri-Sun, the creators of sip-and-go packs, have initiated an online campaign for the restoration of plastic straws. They're aiming to gather a million signatures on Change.org, intending to hand these over to the EU Commission. According to Roland Weening, CEO of Capri-Sun, stated in the Swiss "Sonntagszeitung" around two weeks ago, he seeks to secure exemptions from the EU's ban on single-use plastic straws.
However, Adriana Neligan, a specialist in the circular economy at the Institute of the German Economy in Cologne, stated: "I believe that no exemption will be granted for a specific company." Andreas Hermann from the Öko-Institut in Darmstadt added, "The regulation prioritizes environmental protection, and plastic straws are banned – without any exceptions in the directive."
Environmental activists viewed Capri-Sun's proposals with skepticism. Viola Wohlgemuth from the alliance Exit Plastic said: "The product itself is already a one-time environmental catastrophe, turning into waste as soon as it's utilized, making it incompatible with our contemporary era where nationwide and international political and societal forces are aligned towards sustainability." A resurrection of plastic straws, according to Wohlgemuth, would be a step backward into history.
Capri-Sun's chances of triumphing are slim
Since 2021, Capri-Sun, situated in Eppelheim near Heidelberg, has been utilizing paper straws. Weening revealed that the company was working on transitioning back to plastic straws in Switzerland and neighboring nations. Consumers have expressed their displeasure with the current paper straws, which are difficult to insert, soften readily, and have a distinctly papery taste while drinking. The company is headquartered in Zug, Switzerland – where the EU ban does not apply.
Neligan also shared her doubts regarding a potential rollback of the EU ban on single-use plastic items from 2021. Nevertheless, Neligan also criticized paper straws, which frequently fail to survive a solitary use. "The question revolves around how frequently can I utilize a product?" she added, "And that corresponds to enhancing the environmental balance." For instance, recycled plastic bags would be superior from an ecological perspective when compared to paper bags.
Polypropylene plastic straw
As of now, a representative from Capri-Sun has indicated that the company is conducting research into the possibility that consumers could discard both drink pouches and straws – both manufactured from polypropylene – together in the future as recyclable plastic waste. Polypropylene is a type of plastic. Presently, the 200-milliliter classic drink pouch also incorporates aluminum. In the next stage, the drink pouch will be composed merely of polypropylene.
The European Commission, as stated by Adriana Neligan and Andreas Hermann, has prioritized environmental protection and has banned single-use plastic straws without any exceptions. Despite Capri-Sun's intentions to hand over a million signatures to the EU Commission, Neligan believes no exemption will be granted for the company.
