OPINION
I hate paper straws. Can’t stand the bastards. They stick to your lips and taste like, well, paper. So it was with a certain sense of schadenfreude that I read this.
Paper straws are touted as an eco-friendly alternative to their classic plastic counterpart, but according to new research, paper straws still contain long-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals.
In the first analysis of its kind in Europe, and only the second in the world, Belgian researchers tested 39 brands of straws for the group of synthetic chemicals known as poly and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
PFAS were found in the majority of the straws tested and were most common in those made from paper and bamboo, according to the research, which was published in the peer-reviewed journal Food Additives and Contaminants.
PFAS are commonly used in everyday products, from outdoor clothing to non-stick pans, that are resistant to water, heat and stains. However, they are potentially harmful not only to us, but the wildlife and environment, due to their very slow breakdown that can persist over thousands of years – a property that has led to the name ‘forever chemicals’.
So not exactly good for the environment then…
[…] A growing number of countries, including the UK, Belgium, and New Zealand, have banned or are in the process of banning single-use plastic products, including straws – with plant-based versions becoming popular alternatives.
[…] To explore this further, the research team purchased 39 different brands of straws made from five materials: paper, bamboo, glass, stainless steel and plastic.
The straws, which were mainly obtained from shops, supermarkets and fast-food restaurants, then underwent two rounds of testing for PFAS. The majority of the brands (27 out of 39, or 69 per cent) contained PFAS, with 18 different PFAS detected in total.
The paper straws were most likely to contain PFAS, with the chemicals detected in 18 of the 20 brands tested (90 per cent). PFAS were also detected in four out of five of the bamboo brands (80 per cent), three out of four of the plastic straws (75 per cent), and two of the five brands selling glass straws (40 per cent). They were not detected in any of the five types of stainless steel straws tested.
“The presence of PFAS in paper and bamboo straws shows they are not necessarily biodegradable. We did not detect any PFAS in stainless steel straws, so I would advise consumers to use this type of straw – or just avoid using straws at all,” Dr Groffen said.
So there you have it. Metal straws or nothing. That is until a study comes out saying that stainless steel straws are bad…