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Study Finds Paper Straws Have Higher 'Forever Chemical' Concentration Than Plastic
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Paper straws suck, according to a new study.
While Canada continues to ramp up its efforts to ban the distribution of single-use plastics , including straws, it turns out the paper alternative might not the most ideal replacement.
A new study, published in the journal Food Additives and Contaminants, looked at more than 20 different brands of plant-based straws and found high levels of toxic chemicals in nearly all of them.
“These ‘eco-friendly’ plant-based straws are not necessarily a more sustainable alternative to plastic straws,” concluded a research team based at Belgium’s University of Antwerp.
Paper and bamboo straws examined by the researchers were largely found to carry “forever chemicals” known as per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), according to USA Today .
It means the straws aren’t likely biodegradable and they are vectors for chemicals considered hazardous to human and environmental health, according to the study.
The chemical most commonly found was perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which was banned globally in 2020.
The researchers suggested that, while manufactures could purposely be coating their plant-based straws in chemicals to make them water-repellent, the presence of PFAS could also be attributed to contaminated soil or an unintended consequence of material recycling.
The Belgian study comes after a 2021 U.S. study, which found the presence of 21 PFAS in paper and other plant-based straws versus no measurable amounts in plastic ones.
Exposure to PFAS can be associated with low birth weight, high cholesterol, thyroid disease and an increased risk of kidney and liver cancers.
Graham Peaslee, who studies PFAS at the University of Notre Dame and wasn’t part of the new research, said it’s possible manufacturers aren’t testing for the chemicals in their own products.
“All the straw manufacturers should take warning and say, ‘Hey, do we use this stuff?’ Because at the moment, they’re not even asking that question,” Peaslee said, according to NBC News.
In December 2022, Environment Canada made it illegal to manufacture or import plastic straws, cutlery and checkout bags, among others. At the end of this year, the sale of those products will also become prohibited.
Copyright Postmedia Network Inc., 2023