Inventor Huang Chien-chung (黃千鐘) on Sunday said that his company has started production of eco-friendly drinking straws made of rice hulls and waste tea leaves.
Huang, founder of start-up Ju Tian Cleantech Co, said that the nation’s agricultural industry generates about 3 million tonnes of rice hulls each year, providing an ample source for hull straws that promise to reduce waste.
Meanwhile, the tea leaf straws were developed separately to utilize waste from the tea-baking process, including leaves and stems, he said, adding that tea plantations in Nantou County’s Mingjian Township (名間) are supplying the materials.
Photo: Chen Fong-li, Taipei Times
The cost of the straws, which are biodegradable, is a few cents on the New Taiwan dollar, or marginally more expensive than plastic straws, Huang said, adding that they have a mild, but pleasant scent.
Ju Tian Cleantech is best known for inventing sugar cane straws that received recognition at an inventors’ exposition in Montpellier, France, as well as eco-friendly certification from the Environmental Protection Administration and Germany-based Din Certco.
After accepting an invitation from the Lyon municipal government to open a branch in the city, Ju Tian Cleantech joined France’s trade association for producers of alternatives to plastics and is eligible for French government funding, Huang said.
The company is working with French vineyards to make pomace-based furniture, he said, adding that its sugar cane straws are being marketed in nations such as Canada, France, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea and the US.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
Democratic Progressive Party caucus chief executive Rosalia Wu, front, grabs the pennant in a dragon boat race hosted by Qu Yuan Temple in the Shuanghsi River in Taipei’s Beitou District yesterday.
RSS