When you order your Frappe or Freddo in a café in Athens from now on, you will be seeing these new eco-friendly straws, which are replacing plastic straws.
Gradually, plastic straws will be withdrawn entirely from Athens cafes, restaurants and bars and in their place will be these new pressed paper straws that are made to last long enough in coffee, juice or any other beverages.
It has not yet been confirmed as to whether or not they are made from recycled paper, however they have been labelled as eco-friendly and are popping up all around Athens cafes.
A few days ago the European Commission released new rules to restrict the use of plastic products, including straws, cotton buds, as well as plastic cutlery.
According to the Commission's figures, these products together account for 70% of all marine litter, which often ends up inside sea creatures as well as inside our food and in our lungs, while the health effects of the microplastics contained in the air, water and food is also of main concern.
*Images by Eurokinissi
