KEY WEST, Fla., May 09, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WinCup, Inc. applauds the community of Key West following the City Council’s landmark decision to update its plastic straw ban ordinance to allow for straws made from certified marine biodegradable resins to curb plastic pollution in the community. The new ordinance strengthens the city’s previous policy, which banned the use of any type of straw other than paper straws.
New marine biodegradable technologies have emerged since the passage of the initial policy in 2017, including WinCup’s phade® straws made from polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA). phade® is now able to be distributed in the community to achieve the city’s goal of protecting the area’s beaches and waterways. Because they are made with PHA, a biodegradable resin derived from the fermentation of canola oil, phade® sustainable drinking straws maintain the feel and user experience of traditional plastic equivalents but will safely, and quickly, return to nature.
“We commend Key West for its leadership and demonstrating the community’s commitment to addressing plastic by strengthening its straw ban to allow for groundbreaking marine biodegradable technology like phade® straws,” said WinCup CEO Brad Laporte. “Straw bans across the country can limit the positive impacts emerging technologies can provide. Our hope is that coastal communities across the country will follow Key West’s lead by restructuring their straw ban policies to allow for innovative biopolymer materials like PHA. We’re thrilled that phade® straws will now be able to play a role in Key West’s fight against plastic pollution and provide a better consumer performance than paper straws do.”
With the City Council’s vote, Key West provides a model for other cities to modernize any existing straw bans to allow for innovative solutions like phade®. Coastal communities especially benefit from policies that allows for marine biodegradable straws only.
“I brought the original ordinance forward after I met with the WinCup phade® team because I was quite excited and impressed about this technological advancement and how it could help to protect our Key West Marine environment,” said Commissioner Jimmy Weekley.
“phade® straws & stirrers are made from one of the most unique materials I’ve seen in my 40-year career in the consumer products business due to the fact that bacteria uses PHA as a food source. No matter where this product ends up, bacteria will degrade it in a matter of months instead of years,” said Michael Winters, WinCup President and Chief Revenue Officer. “We’re excited to see Key West take a strong leadership position toward protecting the Marine environment and we look forward to working with local businesses to expand meaningful innovative solutions like phade®.”
The development of phade® involved a rigorous testing and certification process. TÜV AUSTRIA, a globally recognized independent third-party certifying body, certified phade® as both industrial and home compostable in a matter of months. TÜV also certified Nodax® as industrial and home compostable, as well as soil, freshwater and marine biodegradable. Additionally, the Biodegradable Products Institute Inc. (BPI) has certified phade® as industrial compostable.
phade® straws are meant to be composted after use and never intended to be discarded in the ocean or littered. However, phade® will biodegrade in any environment where bacteria are present, including in the unfortunate event that they are found in the ocean. Recently, WinCup released a time-lapse video and an accompanying report showing the rapid biodegradation of its phade® straw in a controlled marine environment. The video and report tracked phade’s® biodegradation process in salt water, showing complete biodegradation of phade® in just 58 days.
WinCup’s focus on sustainable solutions was bolstered in September 2020 when Los Angeles-based global private investment firm Atar Capital acquired the company. Among Atar’s core principles is a commitment to sustainability and investing in companies that work toward protecting the environment.
About WinCup, Inc.
WinCup, Inc. is headquartered in Stone Mountain, Georgia. WinCup is a leading manufacturer of traditional and sustainable disposable cups, bowls, containers, lids, and straws. The company's eight manufacturing locations are committed to high-quality products and superior customer service. To learn more, please visit www.wincup.com and www.phadeproducts.com.
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