Study finds paper straws considered worse than plastic in key environmental measures

CALGARY — A new government-commissioned study from South Korea has found that paper straws, widely promoted as an environmentally friendly alternative to plastic, may cause greater environmental harm in several key categories.The South Korean study, titled Comprehensive Study on Single-Use Straws, compared four types of drinking straws and assessed their environmental impacts across 16 categories, including climate change, particulate matter, acidification and human toxicity.Researchers found that conventional plastic straws had the lowest environmental impact in 10 of the 16 categories examined. Paper straws recorded a modelled carcinogenic impact 6.33 times higher than conventional plastic straws, an acidification impact 2.04 times higher and a particulate matter impact 1.62 times higher.The carcinogenic impact figure refers to potential harm associated with emissions throughout a product's life cycle, including manufacturing and disposal. It does not mean using a paper straw makes someone six times more likely to develop cancer. The findings challenge the assumption that replacing conventional plastic with paper automatically produces a more environmentally friendly product..According to the Korea Herald, the government-commissioned research found that bio-based polyethylene straws, made using renewable plant-based materials, performed worse than conventional plastic in several categories.Bio-based polyethylene straws recorded 16.18 times the modelled carcinogenic impact and 5.9 times the acidification impact of conventional plastic straws.Biodegradable plastic alternatives also recorded higher impacts than conventional plastic in those two categories.The research also found that disposable straws are difficult to recycle, regardless of whether they are made from paper or plastic.Their small size makes them difficult for recycling facilities to separate, while coatings and adhesives used in some paper straws can create additional processing challenges.The South Korean assessment assumed that 73.6% of discarded straws were incinerated and 26.4% were sent to landfills, based on the country's waste-management statistics..The findings come as Canada maintains federal restrictions on conventional plastic drinking straws, despite research suggesting that replacing plastic with paper does not necessarily reduce a product's overall environmental footprint. Canada's Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations were introduced in 2022 as part of the federal government's plan to reduce plastic pollution and achieve zero plastic waste by 2030.The regulations prohibit the manufacture, import and sale of six categories of single-use plastic products, including conventional drinking straws, checkout bags, cutlery, stir sticks, ring carriers and certain foodservice containers.Restrictions on the manufacture and import of conventional plastic straws for sale took effect in December 2022, followed by a prohibition on their sale in December 2023. Exceptions remain for certain flexible plastic straws to ensure they are accessible to individuals who require them.The federal government has defended the restrictions as necessary to reduce plastic pollution in Canadian waterways, protect wildlife and prevent plastic waste from accumulating in the environment.The regulations remain in force following a January 30 Federal Court of Appeal ruling that upheld the federal government's legal authority to regulate the affected plastic products.The findings introduce another consideration into the debate: whether the environmental costs associated with producing and disposing of replacement materials outweigh some of the benefits of eliminating conventional plastics..Those assumptions mean the findings may not translate directly to Canada, where disposal practices and recycling systems can differ.Researchers ultimately recommended reducing the use of disposable straws altogether, rather than simply replacing one material with another.The findings have already prompted criticism of South Korea's approach to single-use plastics.People Power Party lawmaker Kim Wi-sang, who disclosed the research on Wednesday, called on the government to reconsider policies that prioritize alternative materials without addressing their overall environmental impacts.South Korea introduced restrictions on plastic straws in cafes and restaurants in November 2022 but indefinitely extended an enforcement grace period the following year amid public complaints and questions about the effectiveness of alternatives.A survey of 1,001 people included in the study found that 87.5% preferred plastic straws, while 54.4% supported providing disposable straws only upon request..While the study raises questions about the environmental benefits of paper straws, it does not establish that conventional plastic is environmentally preferable in every circumstance.Plastic pollution, wildlife exposure and the persistence of discarded plastics remain significant concerns, and the South Korean assessment does not directly measure the effectiveness of Canada's federal regulations.However, the findings suggest that policies focused on replacing plastic with alternative materials may not necessarily reduce environmental harm across all measures.For Canada, where conventional plastic straws remain restricted under federal law, the research adds another dimension to the debate over whether the country's approach to single-use plastics is delivering its intended environmental benefits.The findings also raise the question of whether reducing disposable products altogether could provide greater environmental benefits than requiring businesses and consumers to switch from one material to another.

Study finds paper straws considered worse than plastic in key environmental measures

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