One of the biggest controversies today has been the dilemma with the use of plastic straws. After a video of a sea turtle injured by a plastic straw went viral, the internet and governments around the world have started to regulate plastic straws. Plastic straws are terrible for the environment because they take over 500 years to decompose and can be very harmful to animals of the land and sea. To fight against the use of plastic straws, companies have created straws made out of metal or paper, so they can be reused or disposed of easier than plastic. Even though these two alternatives are way better than plastic straws, they still have their flaws. For example, the metal reusable straws have to be washed after each use and require you to bring it wherever you want to have a drink. Paper straws, on the other hand, can barely last the five minutes of consuming liquid as they disintegrate and become flimsy and useful. If paper and metal straws are not the answer, then what will help solve this problem?

Photo Credit: Smita Exports

Thankfully, Nlytech Biotech Sdn Bhd is bringing the perfect solution to Singapore, the Rice Straw. Instead of using plastic, paper, or metal, Nlytech has created a straw made purely of rice and tapioca that is 100% eco-friendly. Unlike metal and paper straws, rice straws are perfect for one-time use, can last multiple drinks, and completely decomposes in 90 days. Rice Straws are also completely edible, but you do not have to eat it as it can be discarded. Most importantly they are significantly cheaper than other eco-friendly straws and help spread awareness of public waste pollution. The Halal-certified rice straws were introduced at Cafe Asia 2019 and Restaurant Asia 2019 on March 21st. Mr. Law Yee Tee, CEO of Nlytech Biotech, claims that they are in the middle of setting up mass production in Penang and will soon be available in local and export markets. It is time to cut down on plastic consumption and rice straws are a major step in environmental preservation.