Danimer Scientific and Eagle Beverage to Produce Biodegradable Drinking Straws for Quick Service Restaurants

Bioplastic manufacturer Danimer Scientific, Bainbridge Ga., recently announced that private label specialty beverage products manufacturer Eagle Beverage Products, Kent, Wash., will produce biodegradable drinking straws for the quick service restaurant (QSR) industry using Danimer’s proprietary Nodax PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate).

Tested by University of Georgia (UGA) researchers and the UGA New Materials Institute, PHA is made from sustainable materials, such as canola oil, to produce a proven biodegradable alternative to traditional petrochemical plastics. Danimer’s Nodax PHA possesses seven TÜV AUSTRIA certifications and statements of industrial and home compostability, is biodegradable in anaerobic conditions, soil, freshwater and marine environments and is 100% bio-based. All of Danimer Scientific’s biopolymers, including its Nodax PHA, are FDA approved for food contact.

The straws are expected to be available for Eagle Beverage’s QSR customers to purchase in early 2021. After launching the straws, Eagle Beverage plans to explore expanding its offerings to include compostable food containers, packaging and more. Noted Danimer Scientific CEO Stephen Croskrey, “PHA has become the go-to material for sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic that do not sacrifice reliability or quality. “Eagle Beverage has established robust relationships with some of the largest fast food chains in the country, so we look forward to partnering with them on supplying the industry with biodegradable straws.”

Said Eagle Beverage v.p.Aisha Kabani. “Reducing the impact of plastic waste is a critical issue across the country, but consumers have limited ways to find eco-friendly alternatives at fast food restaurants. By partnering with Danimer Scientific to produce a reliably biodegradable straw, we will provide a cost-effective solution for restaurants to deliver guilt-free beverage enjoyment to their customers. Petrochemical straws break down into harmful microplastics and never fully degrade, but these PHA straws will completely degrade in a matter of months.”