Paper straws contain toxic ‘forever chemicals’ — could be worse than plastic: study

[Kamaji]

Paper straws contain toxic ‘forever chemicals’ — could be worse than plastic: study

By Ben Cost
August 25, 2023

It could be the straw that broke the eco-worrier’s back.

Paper straws might not be the “eco-friendly” drinking tube they’ve been promoted to be: Belgian researchers found that these so-called “green” utensils are toxic and therefore potentially worse for the environment than their much-vilified plastic counterparts, according to a new study published in the journal Food Additives & Contaminants.

“Straws made from plant-based materials, such as paper and bamboo, are often advertised as being more sustainable and eco-friendly than those made from plastic,” Thimo Groffen, Ph.D., study author and an environmental scientist at the University of Antwerp, said in a statement. “However, the presence of PFAS [poly- and perfluoroalkyl-based substances known as “forever chemicals” because they last for a long time before breaking down] in these straws means that’s not necessarily true.”

The new research comes following multiple initiatives enforced by numerous US cities, including New York, and restaurant chains to ban disposable plastic suckers comprised of polypropylene and polystyrene, which take hundreds of years to decompose and are linked to health problems from liver problems to birth defects.

“Their time has come and gone. I believe we should get rid of plastic straws,” NYC Mayor de Blasio said in 2018 after the City Council introduced a proposal to prohibit restaurants and bars from distributing plastic sippers.

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Source:  https://nypost.com/2023/08/25/paper-straws-more-toxic-than-plastic-study/

[Kamaji]

[GtHawk]

I can't stand paper straws, bogeyman chemicals or not, I think everyone forgot how much paper straws affected the taste of any beverage, I know I did until one time after Costco changed over I got a dog and coke there and it made the soda undrinkable

[jmyrlefuller]

I've found that as far as eco-friendly options go, corn husk-based options seem to be better than paper. Not quite as good as plastic, but close... and much more familiar with regard to texture.