Finnish Plastic-Free Drinking Straw Attracts Funding To Scale Up

Finland’s Stora Enso said its biodegradable drinking straws aimed at tackling the world’s plastic waste were now on sale to European customers, while its developer, Sulapac, had raised funds to expand production.

Stora Enso, one of the world’s largest pulp and paper makers, announced the joint venture to develop the straw with Sulapac a year ago, after European Union lawmakers decided to ban widely-used, throw-away plastics such as straws and cotton buds by 2021.

The majority of Stora’s profit comes from pulp and packaging board but the company is exploring new materials to complement its biocomposite business to meet growing consumer demand for sustainable packaging.

ESM