It may be the straw that breaks the environmentalist’s back.
Paper straws may not be the “eco-friendly” drinking tubes they’ve been promoted as: Belgian researchers have found that these so-called “green” utensils are toxic and therefore potentially worse for the environment than their much-maligned plastic counterparts, according to a new study that published in the journal Food Additives & Contaminants.
“Straws made from plant-based materials, such as paper and bamboo, are often advertised as more sustainable and environmentally friendly than those made from plastic,” Thimo Groffen, Ph.D., study author and 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 this straw means that’s not necessarily true.”
The new research follows initiatives by many US cities, including New York, and restaurant chains to ban single-use plastic straws made of polypropylene and polystyrene, which take hundreds of years to decompose and are linked to health problems ranging 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 ban restaurants and bars from handing out plastic straws.
Cities across the US have launched bans on single-use plastic straws.Getty Images/iStockphoto
Meanwhile, countries such as Belgium and the UK have already abandoned this equipment in favor of plant-based alternatives that are supposed to be more environmentally friendly.
However, according to a new research paper, this is a “strawman argument” – as these supposedly environmentally friendly slushie siphons are potentially packed with more PFAS than the “bad” plastic version.
To conclude this a-straw-calyptic theory, researchers analyzed the PFA concentrations of 39 brands of straws, made up of five materials: paper, bamboo, glass, stainless steel and plastic.
They found paper straws were the most heavily loaded with PFA with 90% of paper straws containing the chemical.
Meanwhile, bamboo straws — another touted green alternative — came second with 80%, followed by 75% plastic straws, 40% glass straws and no steel straws.
Paper straws are more likely to retain chemicals indefinitely than their plastic counterparts.Getty Images
By far, the most common PFA is perfluorooctanoic acid, which has been banned worldwide since 2020. However, this substance is still produced in some countries and can be found in products purchased by US consumers.
Also present are trifluoroacetic acid and trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, PFASs that are highly soluble in water, meaning they can potentially seep out of the straw into the drink.
“The presence of PFAS in paper and bamboo inhalers indicates that they are not necessarily biodegradable,” warns Groffen.
Not to mention that some of these so-called “100% recyclable” straws are actually anything but.
It’s unclear how these ingredients — which have been used since the 1940s to repel water and grease in everything from cookware to carpets — ended up in straws, although their presence in every brand suggests they were deliberately added as liquid repellants.
Other potential sources of PFA could be the soil where the plant-based material is grown as well as the water used in its manufacture, according to Phys.org.
Of the sample, 90% of paper straws contain chemicals forever compared to 75% of plastic straws.Getty Images/iStockphoto
Fortunately, low concentrations of PFAS, such as the amount ingested from using a straw, are unlikely to pose a serious health risk.
However, animal studies suggest that the accumulation of these chemicals over time can cause a range of dire side effects, including liver damage, weakened immune systems, underweight babies and even infant death.
Unfortunately, the long-term effects on humans are still unknown because animal tests were conducted with higher levels of PFA.
Picnic spread featuring cocktails in plastic cups with straws. Shutterstock / Bogdan Sonjachnyj
Based on the findings, Goffen concluded that plant-based straws may be environmental “paper tigers” and that there may be only one true eco-friendly alternative to plastic.
“We did not detect any PFAS in stainless steel straws, so I would advise consumers to use this type of straw – or avoid using straws altogether,” the researcher advised.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
