plastic straws

A new study has found that paper straws may be worse for the environment than plastic ones, challenging the assumption behind widespread bans on plastic straws. The finding is drawing attention because paper straws were adopted widely as an eco-friendly alternative, and the result suggests that swap may have backfired environmentally.

A new study reports that so-called eco-friendly paper straws can be worse for the environment than plastic ones, challenging the assumption that paper alternatives are the greener choice following bans on plastic straws. The finding has been picked up by outlets across Asia and beyond, prompting debate about whether single-use plastic replacements genuinely reduce environmental harm or simply shift the problem elsewhere.

A study by South Korean researchers, commissioned by the country's environment ministry, found that paper straws cause more potential carcinogenic harm over their full life cycle than plastic ones — by a factor of 6.33. The finding challenges the assumption that paper alternatives are automatically greener and is prompting debate about whether plastic straw bans deliver the intended environmental benefits.

A new study has found that so-called eco-friendly paper straws may be worse for the environment than plastic ones. The findings challenge the widespread assumption that paper alternatives are a greener choice, casting doubt on plastic straw bans adopted by many countries and prompting debate about whether the shift away from single-use plastic has actually delivered environmental benefits.