Forever Chemicals in “Eco-Friendly” Paper Straws, By Mrs Vera West

Today there is concern about the ill health effects of nano and micro plastics, and rightly so. It is part of the problem of adverse chemicals in the modern world, having effects upon human reproduction and cancer rates. Thus, it is prudent to seek substitutes to most plastics where possible.

But this is not to say that the substitutes put one in the health-clear. For example, a study has found that the so-called "eco-friendly" drinking straws actually contain even more "forever chemicals," which are implicated in numerous ill health effects, than the plastic ones that were supposedly safely replaced by them. Thus, if a straw must be used, perhaps stainless steel, or even better, one grows up and drinks like an adult without a straw at all. It can usually be done, or some way found, such as tipping the contents into a drinking utensil. I can do it, so anyone can.

https://www.theblaze.com/news/paper-straws-forever-chemicals-plastic-study

"A new study found that a vast majority of so-called "eco-friendly" paper straws contain more toxic "forever chemicals" than plastic straws.

European researchers examined 39 brands of straws available in Belgian stores. The study analyzed straws made of paper, bamboo, glass, stainless steel, and plastic. The study sought to determine whether the straws contained a harmful group of synthetic chemicals known as poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS.

PFAS are a class of between 12,000 and 14,000 human-made chemicals that are made by combining fluorine and carbon.

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences says of PFAS:

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large, complex group of synthetic chemicals that have been used in consumer products around the world since about the 1950s. They are ingredients in various everyday products. For example, PFAS are used to keep food from sticking to packaging or cookware, make clothes and carpets resistant to stains, and create firefighting foam that is more effective.

PFAS are commonly called "forever chemicals" because they do not degrade easily in the environment and barely break down in human bodies. The synthetic pollutants are known to be potentially harmful to humans, wildlife, and the environment.

The study published on Thursday in the Food Additives and Contaminants journal found that paper straws contained an alarming amount of forever chemicals – even more than plastic straws.

The new study found 90% of paper straws had PFAS, compared to 80% of bamboo straws, 75% of plastic straws, and 40% of glass straws. PFAS were not detected in any of the stainless steel straws.

"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," said Thimo Groffen, the study's corresponding author."

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19440049.2023.2240908

Many food contact materials (FCMs) and reusable plastics in the food industry contain poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of synthetic pollutants that are known to be potentially harmful for wildlife, humans, and the environment. PFAS may migrate from FCMs to food consumed by humans. As a replacement for plastics, often paper and other plant-based materials are used in commercial settings. This also applies to drinking straws, where plant-based and other presumably eco-friendly straws are increasingly used to reduce plastic pollution. In order to make these materials water-repellent, PFAS are added during manufacturing but can also already be present early in the supply chain due to the use of contaminated raw materials. In the present study, we examined the PFAS concentrations in 39 different brands of straws, made from five materials (i.e. paper, bamboo, glass, stainless steel, and plastic) commercially available on the Belgian market. We combined both targeted and suspect-screening approaches to evaluate a wide range of PFAS. PFAS were found to be present in almost all types of straws, except for those made of stainless steel. 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.