Which is better, PLA straw or paper straw?
Posted on Aug 25.2022
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PLA degradable straws
advantage
1. Renewable raw materials
PLA straws are also called polylactic acid straws. The raw material polylactic acid is mainly derived from starch in corn and other grains, and is formed by polymerizing sugars in starch.
2. Completely degradable
It has good biodegradable properties. After being used and discarded, it can be decomposed into CO2 and H2O within 45 days, and it will not cause any pollution to the environment. It is a very good environmental protection material.
3. Comfortable to use
Its temperature tolerance is generally -10°C to 80°C, which is close to plastic straws. It has the same physical properties as traditional plastic straws, and it will not cause discomfort during daily use.
4. One-time molding
Using a one-time extrusion molding process, using a new type of screw extrusion, the heated and melted PLA ions are extruded through the die and cooled by the water tank under the pressure of pressure, and then cut into various specifications of straws.
5. Biosafety
After being extruded at high temperature, PLA straws have higher thermal stability and better solvent resistance. The gloss, transparency and hand feel of the straw are better, and various physical and chemical indicators meet the requirements of food safety regulations.
shortcoming
high price
The price of degradable PLA straws on the market is about 1 cent, and the high temperature resistant PLA straws are as high as 1 cent and 5, which is 2-3 times that of plastic straws.
Faced with the problem of high prices, it is necessary to improve production technology, production efficiency, and reduce costs through production equipment and raw materials.
paper straws advantage
1. Environmental protection and saving of raw materials
The raw materials of paper straws are different pulps, which are recyclable, easy to degrade, and environmentally friendly.
2. Safe and harmless
It is more user-friendly, and there is no damage that may be caused by sharp burrs.
3. Lower cost (higher than plastic straws)
Paper straws are about 7 or 8 cents, which is 1.5 times that of plastic straws.
shortcoming
1. Poor sense of use, easy to become soft, scattered or rotten
When drinking hot beverages, it usually takes a long time to drink. The paper straws are soaked in hot water for a long time, and they will basically become soft, rotten or scattered.
2. The cover cannot be directly pierced
Since the surface of the paper straw is smooth and free of sharp burrs, the slanted mouth is not sharp, and it is difficult to pierce when tying milk tea or beverage wrappers, which greatly affects the mood.
3. There is a shelf life, and there are requirements for the preservation environment
Generally, paper straws should be stored in a dry environment. Even if they are sealed, most of the sealed materials are paper-based. Even if they are not, there are gaps between the material molecules, and they will become soft in a humid environment for a long time. .
In order to solve these problems of paper straws, it is necessary to add plastic reagents or lamination treatment, and replace the sticky glue of paper straws. After these treatments, its degradability will also be reduced, and its environmental protection will also deteriorate.
After comparison, it is not difficult to see that the PLA straw is still better!
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