What Biodegradable Straws Did You Not Know About? – Coffee Grounds Straws

(Last Updated On: September 18, 2023)

Many countries are imposing a ban on plastic straws due to their harmful effects on the environment. This leads to the usage of biodegradable straws which are plastic straw alternatives and are more eco-friendly.

There are many options for biodegradable straws such as reed straws, grass straws, sugarcane straws, bamboo straws, etc. Almost every biodegradable straw is eco-friendly straw and is made from natural and recyclable material.

The most unique biodegradable straws are coffee grounds straws. The coffee grounds straws are made of recycled material and can be recycled after usage. So they are eco-friendly straws in every situation.

In this article, we have explained how biodegradable straws such as coffee grounds straws are revolutionary and why the world needs to get rid of plastic straws. We have also explained the uniqueness of coffee ground straws.

Why Does the World Need to Turn to Biodegradable Straws?

Countless reasons will be enough for the world to turn to biodegradable straws. But first, let’s understand the basic science of biodegradable straws.

‘Bio’ means life and ‘degradable’ means to break down slowly. So the combination of both words i.e. biodegradable means the breakdown of a substance by living organisms.

When we say that this eco-friendly straw is biodegradable, we mean that it can be decomposed by microorganisms. This process does not cause pollution and is not harmful to the environment.

The purpose of explaining the basics was to strengthen our basics about biodegradable straws. Since biodegradable straws are decomposed without causing any harm, therefore, they are better plastic straw alternatives.

The world needs to turn to biodegradable straws as most of these drinking straws are made from recycled material. For example, sugarcane straws are a type of biodegradable straw that is made from bagasse. Bagasse is the material that is left behind after the sugar is extracted from the sugarcane.

Also, most biodegradable straws are reusable or can be recycled. Thus, they leave no bad trace on the environment. Most biodegradable straws are also eco-friendly reusable straws.

The Harms of Non-Biodegradable Straws to the Environment

One of the main reasons that will convince the world to turn to biodegradable straws are the harmful effects of non-biodegradable straws. We all get annoyed when we go to the beach to enjoy the beautiful views. But all we see is a beach filled with hundreds of non-biodegradable straws.

Most of the commonly used non-biodegradable straws are plastic straws. Plastic straws not only ruin the beauty of beaches, valleys, and mountains but also cause a lot of harm to sea animals.

Most people think that using one plastic straw would not cause any difference. However, if we combine all of the plastic straws, a very dark picture is formed.

The non-biodegradable straws, especially plastic straws, have caused death and injuries in various marine animals. Studies have found that 90% of seagulls and turtles had plastic in them.

Plastic straws are not only harmful to marine life, but they also have adverse effects on humans. When humans consume seafood, they are also consuming micro pieces of plastic. Similarly, plastic is also found in natural water.

Other non-biodegradable straws include stainless steel straws and glass straws. Although these are recyclable straws and also considered eco-friendly straws, they may also cause some harm.

Stainless steel straws require a large amount of energy to get manufactured. To manufacture these non-biodegradable straws, a large amount of carbon is also emitted.

So stainless steel straws don’t have a direct effect on the species of the world but may play a part in causing global warming.

What are the Benefits of Biodegradable Straws?

Biodegradable straws are the best plastic straw alternatives. Although there are numerous benefits of switching to biodegradable straws, here are the most beneficial aspects of biodegradable straws;

Simple Manufacturing Process

The manufacturing process of biodegradable straws is very simple. Most biodegradable straws are made from plant-based material, so they don’t need a long manufacturing process.

For example, eco-friendly straw manufacturers make bamboo biodegradable straws by simply cutting the stems of bamboo plants. Then the biodegradable straw manufacturer simply shapes the stems and leaves them to dry.

Recycled and Recyclable

Most biodegradable straws are made from recycled material. For example, coffee ground straws are made from the waste of used coffee beans.

Also, most biodegradable straws can be reused. For example, biodegradable straws made with coffee grounds are compostable. This means that they can be used as fertilizers.

Safe to Use

Since most biodegradable straws are plant-based, therefore they are safe to use. Plastic straws are other non-biodegradable straws that require chemicals and other toxic elements in the manufacturing process.

Biodegradable straw manufacturers do not have to add chemicals to biodegradable straws. This makes biodegradable straws safe to use.  

Reusable

Some of the biodegradable straws are reusable. Many biodegradable straw manufacturers include a cleaning brush with an eco-friendly reusable straw.

Some biodegradable straws such as bamboo straws or sugarcane straws can also be cleaned in the dishwasher, which makes them eco-friendly reusable straws.

However, not all biodegradable straws are eco-friendly reusable straws. For example, coffee grounds straws can’t be reused. Similarly, biodegradable paper straws also can’t be reused as they may turn soggy after the first usage.

Eco-friendly Straws

As we mentioned above, biodegradable straws can be decomposed by microorganisms without leaving any harm to the environment. The biodegradable straws are also not harmful to marine animals.

Also, biodegradable straws are recycled and recyclable, so they reduce a lot of waste material that might have caused land pollution.

Learn About Biodegradable Straws – Coffee Grounds Straws

Coffee grounds straws are an example of biodegradable straws. These biodegradable straws are not as popular as other biodegradable straw options, but these drinking straws have a lot of positive aspects.

What are Coffee Grounds Straws?

Coffee ground straws are exactly what they sound like. When we make coffee, we usually discard the used coffee beans. However, some biodegradable straw manufacturers are using coffee grounds to manufacture coffee grounds biodegradable straws.

Usually, biodegradable straws manufacturers make coffee grounds straws with wasted coffee grounds and PLA (Polylactic Acid), which is also a food-grade material. These materials can help the biodegradable straw to decompose in a few months, leaving no harmful trace on the environment.

People consume a large amount of coffee every day, which leaves the world with a large quantity of coffee waste. For instance, more than two billion cups of coffee are consumed every day. This leaves the Earth with nearly 18 million tonnes of coffee grounds, which are usually thrown away.

To avoid land pollution and to have an eco-friendly straw, biodegradable straw manufacturers turn the wasted coffee grounds into coffee grounds straws. So the biodegradable coffee grounds straws are made from recyclable material.

Are the Coffee Ground Straws Biodegradable?

Yes, coffee grounds straws are biodegradable. 90% of the decomposition of coffee grounds straws is done in 180 days. And it takes six months to complete the full process of decomposition. Therefore this biodegradable straw does not cause much harm to the environment.

Can Coffee Grounds Straws Compost?

Yes, coffee ground straws are compostable. A biodegradable straw is a compostable straw if it can be used as a growth booster for plants. Coffee grounds straws can prove to be a really good fertilizer for plants.

How are Coffee Grounds Straws Made?

To manufacture coffee ground straws, eco-friendly straws manufacturers use coffee grounds. Coffee grounds are the waste of coffee beans that are left after brewing the coffee.

Biodegradable straw manufacturers mix coffee grounds with PLA (Polylactic Acid), which is a food-grade material. Also, PLA straws are biodegradable straws, so this material doesn’t make the coffee grounds straws harmful.

Is the Coffee Grounds Straw Reusable?

No, coffee grounds straws can’t be reused. Although most of the biodegradable straws are reusable. But it is wise to not reuse biodegradable straws made with coffee grounds as cleaning them can be a difficult task.

How About the Temperature Tolerance of Coffee Grounds Straws?

The coffee grounds straws can resist the temperature of 50°C. Therefore, coffee straws can be used to consume drinks that are less hot. This type of biodegradable straw can also be used with cold drinks as it can also stay firm in the cold temperature of -20°C.

Are the Coffee Grounds Straws Safe to Use?

Yes, coffee grounds straws are safe to use. Coffee grounds are used by biodegradable straw manufacturers to manufacture coffee grounds straws, which are safe for human health. PLA (Polylactic Acid) is also used by eco-friendly straw manufacturers, which is a food-grade material.

As no toxic materials are used in the manufacturing process of the coffee grounds straws, therefore these biodegradable straws are completely safe to use.

Biodegradable Straws – Where Can You Buy Coffee Ground Straws?

Homestraws is one of the best places if a person wants to buy coffee grounds straws in bulk. Homestraws is a Chinese biodegradable straw manufacturer. The main aim of Homestraw is to reduce plastic waste by turning it into biodegradable straws.

Homestraws has provided biodegradable straws to different businesses of the world. They make biodegradable straws for restaurants, cafés, businesses, and hotels in bulk.

The coffee grounds straws of Homestraws are made with recyclable coffee grounds straws and Polylactic Acid (PLA), which is a safe and biodegradable straw.

Homestraws is a biodegradable straw wholesale manufacturer. The minimum order quantity (MOQ) of coffee grounds straws is 200,000 at Homestraws. Therefore this is a suitable place if restaurants, businesses, cafés, or hotels want to purchase coffee grounds straws in bulk.

The coffee grounds straws are compostable and biodegradable. This means that they can either be used as a growth booster for plants or they can be left to decompose by the microorganisms. Both of these methods are safe for the environment.

90° of the decomposition process completes within 180 days, while the complete decomposition may take six months. This feature of coffee grounds straws is very useful as it does not leave any harmful traces such as microplastics in the environment.

The coffee grounds straws of Homestraw are certified biodegradable straws. Various reputable organizations such as FDA, LFGB, SGS, etc. have certified the coffee grounds straws of Homestraws.

Other Biodegradable Straws

There are many other types of biodegradable straws. Some common types of biodegradable straws include reed straws, bamboo straws, sugarcane straws, etc.

Below, we have described some of the commonly used types of biodegradable straws.

Bamboo Straws

Bamboo straws are the types of biodegradable straws that are made with bamboo plants. The manufacturing process of bamboo biodegradable straws is very simple, which makes it 100% plant-based.

Biodegradable straw manufacturers collect the most suitable stalks from bamboo trees. These stalks are then left to dry naturally. Once the bamboo stalks are dry, they are shaped into various biodegradable straws.

Since bamboo biodegradable straws are made from raw bamboo tree stalks, therefore they may vary in size. However good biodegradable straw manufacturers separate these eco-friendly straws into various categories of sizes. So there are wider biodegradable straws for boba tea and narrow or long straws for coffee and tea.

The bamboo straws are reusable as they can be cleaned with a cleaning brush. However, they should be cleaned properly to avoid getting an infection. Since bamboo straws are biodegradable, they decompose leaving no harmful traces on the environment.

Reed Straws

Reed straws are another plant-based biodegradable straw. The manufacturing process of reed straws is very simple. The stems from the reed plant are collected, which are then dried and cut into the required shapes of biodegradable straws.

Reed straws are also termed biodegradable straws because they can be decomposed by microorganisms without being harmful to the environment.

The reed straws can be reused if cleaned properly. Also, the reed biodegradable straws can endure both hot and cold temperatures. Another plus point of reed biodegradable straws is that it does not turn soggy in the drinks.

Since no chemicals are used in the manufacturing process, therefore reed biodegradable straws are completely safe to use.

Sugarcane Straws

Like coffee grounds straws, sugarcane straws are also made from waste material, which is bagasse. This type of biodegradable straw is made from the sugarcane fibers that are left behind after extracting the sugar pulp.

The sugarcane straws are biodegradable as they can be composted or can be decomposed by microorganisms. So sugarcane straws are eco-friendly straws.

Usually, biodegradable straw manufacturers include a cleaning brush, which makes it easy to clean these biodegradable straws. This means that sugarcane straws are reusable straws which also makes them eco-friendly straws.

The manufacturing process is quite simple and biodegradable straw manufacturers do not use any chemicals to make sugarcane straws. Therefore sugarcane biodegradable straws are completely safe to use.

Another perk of using sugarcane biodegradable straws is that they are temperature resistant. This means that it is safe to use sugarcane biodegradable straws with coffee and other drinks whether they are hot or cold.

Comparison of Coffee Grounds Straws and Other Biodegradable Straws

All types of biodegradable straws are different and unique in their way. Here is a quick comparison of commonly used biodegradable straws with coffee grounds straws.

Coffee Grounds Straws vs Reed Straws

Coffee grounds straws are made from leftover coffee beans, while reed straws are made from the stems of a reed plant. Both are biodegradable straws, so they decompose and leave no toxic traces in the environment.

The coffee grounds straws can’t be reused. However these biodegradable straws are compostable, so they can be recycled. Reed biodegradable straws usually come with a cleaning brush, so they are reusable.

Since both drinking straws are biodegradable, they are neither harmful to marine life or the environment in general nor to human health. Both eco-friendly straws don’t require to be made with toxic chemicals.

Coffee Grounds Straws vs Sugarcane Straws

Both coffee grounds straws and sugarcane straws are made from waste materials. Coffee grounds straws are made from the leftover coffee grounds, while sugarcane biodegradable straws are made using the remaining fibers of the sugarcane.

Sugarcane biodegradable straws can be reused and are more resistant to high heat. However, coffee ground straws can not be reused and can only bear a high temperature of 50°C. Both of these biodegradable straws are made without chemicals so they are safe to use.

Coffee Grounds Straws vs Bamboo Straws

Bamboo biodegradable straws don’t require any additional material to get manufactured. However, coffee ground straws require PLA (Polylactic Acid), which is considered to be safe and nontoxic for both environment and human health.

Both are eco-friendly straws. Bamboo eco-friendly straws can be reused or decomposed safely, while coffee grounds straws can be decomposed safely or recycled as a compostable material. The bamboo biodegradable straws and coffee grounds straws are safe to use as they don’t contain harmful or toxic chemicals.

Both are good options for the environment as coffee straws are made from coffee grounds which might have caused land pollution. On the other hand, bamboo biodegradable straws are reusable so they can save a lot of straws to go into waste bins.

Common Problems with Coffee Grounds Straws

Nothing is perfect in this world. Similarly, coffee grounds straws also have some flaws. The number one con of coffee grounds straws is that they can not be reused.

Most of the biodegradable straws can be reused, which saves a lot of money and is also good for the environment. However, coffee grounds straws can’t be reused.

Coffee grounds straws give the aroma of coffee. So people who don’t like coffee may not love the biodegradable straws made with coffee grounds. Some people are allergic to coffee, so the aroma of coffee straws may be harmful to them.

Biodegradable straw manufacturers have to add PLA (Polylactic Acid) in the coffee grounds to manufacture the coffee grounds straws. Although PLA is food-grade material and is often considered safe for human health, it might be harmful to marine life.

Biodegradable straws made with PLA are considered more eco-friendly straws than plastic straws. However, the coffee ground straws made with Polylactic Acid are not considered to be more eco-friendly than other biodegradable straws.

Most biodegradable straws are strong and can endure high temperatures. However, biodegradable straws made with coffee grounds can only endure a high temperature of 50°C.

The temperature of hot coffee is 70-85°C, so coffee grounds straws are not the best option for drinking hot coffee.

Last Sentences

To summarize, biodegradable straws are the best plastic straw alternatives as they can be decomposed without causing much harm. Most biodegradable straws are reusable, recycled, and recyclable which makes them eco-friendly straws.

The world can get rid of the risks of plastic waste by turning to biodegradable straws. Most biodegradable straws are plant-based straws so they don’t harm the soil or marine life.

One of the rising biodegradable straws is coffee grounds straws. These eco-friendly straws are made with wasted coffee grounds and PLA. The coffee ground straws are recycled and recyclable but are not reusable.