Vegware, a company that sells compostable coffee cups and PLA-based biodegradable cutlery and food boxes, saw its sales explode when UK legislators called for a "latte levy" and ministers announced a ban on plastic straws. The company's exports also increased with the rest of the European Union implementing similar policies. Vegware's chief Joe Frankel responded by insisting that a latte levy is misguided and that it ignores a far bigger waste problem posed by the surge in disposable packaging from sandwich shops and the explosion in takeaway home deliveries. The Scottish Green Party, however, wants even compostable cups included in any future latte levy, complicating matters. If this trend gains momentum, it could be a problem for companies invested in compostable materials.
