Belgian University: “Plastic-free” paper straws can also cause cancer + Infertility research points to non-degradable PFAS

The first phase of controls on disposable plastic tableware and plastic products was officially implemented today (22nd). Restaurants are no longer allowed to supply disposable plastic tableware, plastic drinking straws, etc. Some people think that it is more environmentally friendly for restaurants to provide paper straws than plastic straws. However, a Belgian research team tested a variety of straws made of different materials on the market and found that most paper straws are not as environmentally friendly as imagined, and even some Non-degradable and carcinogenic chemicals “PFAS”. The research team pointed out that among the 39 samples tested, only stainless steel drinking tubes did not contain PFSA.

The research team of Universiteit Antwerpen in Belgium collected 39 drinking straw samples with different materials, including 20 paper drinking tubes, 5 glass drinking tubes, 5 bamboo drinking tubes, 5 stainless steel drinking tubes and 4 For plastic drinking tubes, the team conducted various tests on this batch of drinking tubes and found that PFAS was detected in 90% of the paper drinking tube samples. “Compared with plastic drinking straws, these plant-based drinking straws only appear to be environmentally friendly, but are not actually viable alternatives,” said a research team from the University of Antwerp in Belgium.

An investigation report by a research team from the University of Antwerp in Belgium showed that PFAS was detected in 90% of the paper straws, 80% of the bamboo straws, 75% of the plastic straws and 40% of the glass straws tested, and all the stainless steel straws tested PFAS was not detected. It is not yet clear whether PFAS is deliberately added by manufacturers to make it waterproof, or whether it is contaminated during the production process.

According to SGS, a testing, inspection and certification company in Geneva, Switzerland, PFAS stands for “per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances” and is a collective name for a series of more than 1,000 different compounds. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, substances such as PFAS are generally very chemically stable and therefore do not break down in the environment. They can pass through the soil and contaminate drinking water sources. They are also found in fish and wildlife. Accumulated in animals. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that it has not been possible to confirm the effects of human exposure to low levels of PFAS, but animal experiments have shown that some PFAS can affect growth and development, reproduction, immunity and thyroid function, and even damage the liver. The potential risks of such compounds to the human body are still being assessed around the world. The European Food Safety Authority has previously announced weekly tolerance levels for four PFAS (PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, and PFHxS). You should not consume more than 4.4 nanograms per kilogram of body weight per week.

Sources: BBC, National Post, Science Media Centre, SGS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention