THE LAST STRAW FOR COCA-COLA AS PLASTIC DITCHED

COCA-COLA Amatil has announced it will phase out plastic drinking straws and stirrers in Australia over the next two months and replace them with fully recyclable and biodegradable paper straws.

Group managing director Alison Watkins said yesterday, the decision was another step forward in the company’s efforts to reduce single-use plastics. “We’ve heard the community message loud and clear – that unnecessary packaging is unacceptable, and we all need to work together to reduce the amount entering litter streams, the environment and the oceans,” she said.

The new paper drinking straws will be sourced from suppliers Biopak and Austraw and made available through Amatil’s ordering platform to around 115,000 outlets nationwide including grocery, petrol and convenience stores, bars, cafes and quick service restaurants.

The company said that the new sustainable paper straws will be available from next month.

Picture: TONY GOUGH WAY TO GO: Louisa, 6, and Ben Jennings, 8, enjoying a drink with a paper straw. Coca-cola is joining the ban on plastic straws.