In Taiwan, a startup has developed a straw alternative based on sugarcane waste. 100% Plants, founded by Huang Chien-chung, uses simple chemical methods to turn bagasse into the biodegradable straws.
Chien-chung tells the Taipei Times developing the straw alternative was not a seamless process, with early iterations “unusable” due to cracking and splintering. The company is now looking at using waste bamboo to make disposable, biodegradable utensils.
The company is has also partnered with the National Taiwan Ocean University to determine how quickly its straws break down in ocean water or in a fish’s stomach. “We hope that the test results will prove that our product is environmentally friendly,” Huang said.