Paper straws could pose a risk to people, wildlife and the environment, according to a new European study which shows they contain “potentially toxic” and long-lasting chemicals.
Paper straws, widely hailed as the “eco friendly” alternative to plastic straws – banned in Ireland for single use since July 2021 – were found to contain poly and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), synthetic chemicals which could be potentially destructive to human health over time.
After being banned in the UK in 2020, single-use plastic products, including straws, cutlery and cotton buds, were banned from the Irish market. The move came under an EU directive restricting their use in order to target pollution on European beaches.
The ban was agreed upon in 2019, with EU member states, including Ireland, being granted two years to transpose the legislation into national law.
However, the paper straws, widely used in bars and restaurants as an environmentally friendly alternative to the plastic counterparts, may contain “forever chemicals” which pose a threat to both humans and the environment. These chemicals were observed more often in paper straws than in a sample of plastic straws, researchers in Belgium found.
The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Food Additives and Contaminants, was conducted by scientists from the University of Antwerp in Belgium.
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Researchers tested a total of 39 brands of straws, made from five materials (i.e. paper, bamboo, glass, stainless steel, and plastic) commercially available on the Belgian market for synthetic chemicals known as PFAS. They found that the majority of straws contained those chemicals – but they were more common in straws made from paper and bamboo,
The chemicals are referred to by European researchers as “forever chemicals” because they can remain for thousands of years in the environment. The chemicals have been linked with health issues including liver damage, kidney and testicular cancer, increased cholesterol, thyroid disease, and they can also damage the environment.
Of the brands tested by researchers, 90 per cent of paper straws contained PFAS, compared to 80 per cent of bamboo straws.
Researchers explained that PFAS were found to be present in almost all types of straws, except for those made of stainless steel. PFAS were found in 75 per cent of plastic straws, and 40 per cent of glass straws.
PFAS were more frequently detected in plant-based materials, such as paper and bamboo.
“We did not observe many differences between the types of materials, or the continents of origin. The presence of PFAS in plant-based straws shows that they are not necessarily biodegradable and that the use of such straws potentially contributes to human and environmental exposure of PFAS,” researchers added.
Researchers wrote:
“PFAS were found to be present in almost all types of straws, but primarily in those made from plant-based materials. These ‘eco-friendly’ plant-based straws are not necessarily a more sustainable alternative to plastic straws, because they can be considered as an additional source of PFAS exposure in humans and the environment (e.g. after degradation in landfills or through incomplete incineration).
“The most sustainable alternative seems to be stainless-steel straws, which can be reused, do not contain PFAS and can be fully recycled. More research is needed on PFAS in FCM, the factors affecting the migration of PFAS into food and drinks, and the potential human risks posed by the use of these FCMs. Our results contribute to a further understanding of the potential human exposure pathway through FCMs, and the results are important in the context of public health.”
Researchers stressed that PFAS concentration was low, and the risk to humans was limited, because straws are only used on occasion. However, they said the chemicals can remain in the body for years, and concentrations can build up.
In a statement, researcher Dr Thimo Groffen, an environmental scientist at the University of Antwerp, said:
“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.
“However, the presence of PFAS in these straws means that’s not necessarily true.”
“The presence of PFAS in paper and bamboo straws shows that they are not necessarily biodegradable,” Groffen said. “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.”