WEST LAFAYETTE,
Ind. (AP) - Purdue University hopes to reduce unnecessary waste by replacing
plastic straws with paper alternatives at its West Lafayette campus, which
comes shortly after city officials took similar steps to cut down on plastic
waste.
The transition was
completed earlier this month. It affects more than 30 operations on campus,
including all the restaurants in the Purdue Memorial Union. Purdue Dining &
Catering estimates the campus used 650,000 plastic straws in the past year.
The transition
shows the university’s “commitment to sustainability” and follows trends
across the world, said Tom Coleman, director of retail dining for Purdue
Dining & Catering.
“Replacing plastic
straws with paper reduces environmental risk with a biodegradable product,”
Coleman said in a university release. “The local impact of this transition
will help reduce unnecessary waste on campus.”
The university is
purchasing its paper straws from Fort Wayne-based Aardvark, the university
said. Aardvark’s straws fully decompose in 45 to 60 days when composted, the
company said.
“It’s not only
important to us to make this transition, but it is also exciting that we are
able to partner with another Indiana-based business to make this happen,”
Coleman said.
The West Lafayette
City Council approved a resolution earlier this year that asked businesses
to reduce their use of plastic straws, stirrers and utensils.
The university’s
Dining & Catering department also plans to raise awareness about straw waste
and encourage students to stop using straws completely through a “Make This
Your Last Straw” campaign.