Coca-Cola Amatil will no longer distribute single-use plastic drinking straws and stirrers in Australia, replacing them with paper straws.
The decision to stock recyclable and biodegradable FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) accredited paper straws instead of plastic was made as the company said it is working towards a target of 100 per cent Australian packaging to be fully recyclable by 2025.
CCA group managing director Alison Watkins said the company is serious about playing its part in reducing unnecessary plastic packaging.
“We’ve heard the community message loud and clear. Unnecessary packaging is unacceptable and we all need to work together to reduce the amount entering litter streams, the environment and the oceans,” Watkins said.
Watkins said the intention was for 100 per cent of Coca-Cola Amatil’s Australian packaging to be fully recyclable by 2025, including all bottles, cans, plastic wrap, straws, glass and cardboard.
“We are working towards phasing out unnecessary and problematic single-use plastics entirely, through improved design, innovation or the use of recycled alternatives,” she said.
Distribution of single-use plastic drinking straws and stirrers will cease as stocks run out over the next two months with sustainable paper straws sourced from suppliers BioPak and Austraw available from February.
Work continues by CAA to find a solution for sustainable straws on Tetra Pak-supplied packaging as well as for plastic spoons and scoops used with frozen drinks.
