Paper Straws: Why Scientists Say They Can Be Dangerous?

Paper straws can be harmful to health and no more environmentally friendly than plastic ones, as they contain long-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals.

Paper Straws: Why Scientists Say They Can Be Dangerous?


Paper straws  may be harmful to health and no more environmentally friendly than plastic because they contain long-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals , a recent study published in Food Additives & Contaminants concluded.

In the first analysis of its kind in Europe and only the second in the world, Belgian researchers tested 39 brands of straws made from five materials – paper, bamboo, glass, stainless steel and plastic – for the group of synthetic chemicals known as poly- and perfluoroalkyls substances (PFAS).

PFASs are used to make everyday products, from outdoor clothing to non-stick pans, resistant to water, heat and stains . However, they are potentially harmful to humans, wildlife and the environment. They break down very slowly and can persist for thousands of years in the environment, a property that has led them to be known as "forever chemicals" . They have also been associated with a number of health problems, including lower response to vaccines, lower birth weight, thyroid disease, elevated cholesterol levels, liver damage, kidney cancer and testicular cancer.