Burgeoning plastic straw bans around the world may be a boon for environmentalists, but for boba fans, it presents all sorts of problems. In its current iteration, the immensely popular Taiwanese drink relies on oversized plastic straws to slurp up its defining pearls. Combined with its reliance on single-use plastic cups and lids, and the fact that bubble tea sales are expected to hit $4.3 billion by 2023, the industry is poised to generate a significant amount of waste. The lid has two openings: One for the tea; the other for boba or other toppings such as grass jelly, taro balls or pomegranate seeds. Float’s release is timely: Taiwan’s single-use straw ban begins on July 1, according to Taiwan News, and will apply to fast food restaurants, schools, department stores as well as the public sector.

Source: National Post May 28, 2019 17:15 UTC