The replacement straws are made from PLA – a plant-based plastic that biodegrades in six months and contains 67% less embodied carbon than oil-based PP plastic.
The new PLA straws will be disposed of in allocated food waste bins, which will be rolled out across the estate later this month (March).
Deltic will provide its staff with the necessary guidelines to ensure straws and plastics are recycled properly, reinforcing a best eco-friendly process.
Sustainability plans
Seven alternatives to plastic straws:
- Biodegradable ‘plastic’ or polylactic acid
- Metal
- Straw straws
- Bamboo
- Glass
- Paper
- Go naked
Alongside significant cost savings, removing plastic straws from the group’s estate marks a step forward in the company’s sustainability plans.
The Deltic Group chief executive Peter Marks said: “We are pleased to announce that we will no longer be buying, using or serving plastic straws to any of our customers at any of our venues.
“These changes form part of a broader commitment to run a more environmentally-friendly and sustainable operation.”
Deltic is the latest in a long line of pub companies that have banned plastic straws, including Oakman Inns, JD Wetherspoon, Punch, Laine Pub Co and Liberation Group.
Industry-wide campaign
An industry-wide campaign to cut the number of single-use plastic items in pubs was launched by The Morning Advertiser and three trade bodies earlier this year (January).
The Last Straw campaign urges all pubs to remove plastic straws and stirrers from their sites completely.
An industry-wide summit will be held later this month (March), to raise awareness of the issue, showcase ways to cut unnecessary plastic use and highlight work the industry is doing with the Government to address the problem.
- To show support for the campaign tweet what you plan to do to reduce plastic waste in your pub using #TheLastStraw @morningad