<
https://theconversation.com/eco-friendly-straws-contain-potentially-toxic-chemicals-posing-a-threat-to-people-and-wildlife-212472>
"Drinking straws that are made from materials like paper and bamboo are often
promoted as more eco-friendly than their plastic counterparts. However, a new
study has found that these supposedly sustainable straws contain potentially
toxic chemicals called polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
These substances, commonly known as “forever chemicals”, are a large group of
over 4,000 synthetic chemicals that are used in a wide range of products due to
their water- and fat-repellent properties. They can be found in everyday items
such as non-stick cooking pans and fast-food packaging.
PFAS can linger in the environment for thousands of years, and exposure to
certain levels of PFAS has been linked to ill health both in people and in
animals.
The study, conducted by researchers in Belgium, analysed commercially available
drinking straws of various types and recorded PFAS concentrations in 39
separate brands. PFAS were discovered in almost all of the paper and bamboo
straws tested. They were detected in plastic and glass straws too, but at a
lower frequency.
Perfluorooctanoic acid was the most common PFAS detected in the straws. The
manufacture of perfluorooctanoic acid has been banned in the European Union
since 2020 on safety grounds. However, it can be found in old or recycled
consumer products and persists in the environment.
The presence of PFAS in plant-based straws could, at least in part, be due to
factors like unintentional contamination from plants grown in soil polluted by
PFAS and from the use of recycled paper containing PFAS in the production of
straws."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
