Stewart's Shops Does Away With Plastic Straws

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Stewart's Shops is getting more sustainable by switching from plastic straws to plant-based straws at its stores.

The new straws are made from corn and are 100 percent renewable, BPI certified compostable and ASTM compliant. They will completely degrade in less than six months in a composting environment.

The retailer's straw usage is minimal, but Stewart's made the switch to help where it can, the company said. It already offers wooden coffee stirrers as another environmentally friendly option for customers.

Stewart's noted that the plant-based straws should not be used with hot liquids.

"As a company, Stewart's is always looking at small ways to make positive environmental impact," the company wrote on its website. "This new plant-based straw will help to reduce the number of harmful plastics that end up in our environment."

Saratoga Springs-based Stewart's Shops operates more than 335 locations across upstate New York and southern Vermont.