Bin Mirza International’s popular pan-Asian restaurant chain wagamama has announced it will no longer be providing plastic straws in its Oman restaurant, but will be offering biogradeable paper alternatives. The decision follows a total ban on plastic straws in wagamama’s UK restaurants as part of the restaurant’s exciting journey towards becoming a more sustainable business.

Due to their lightweight nature, plastic straws have been found to be extremely harmful to the environment and to marine life in particular. They do not biodegrade but instead slowly break into smaller pieces known as microplastics, which are then mistaken for food by marine creatures. More than one million seabirds alone die every year worldwide from eating plastic straws and choking on them.

wagamama is a member of the UK-based Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) established in 2010, which helps food-service businesses implement sustainable practices. The not-for-profit organisation has a wide range of members from Michelin-starred restaurants to workplace canteens.