--- title: "Paper straws contribute to PFAS pollution issues" id: "2062" type: "post" slug: "food-contact-paper-straws-contain-pfas" published_at: "2023-10-09T15:32:59+00:00" modified_at: "2023-10-14T01:59:22+00:00" url: "https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2023/10/food-contact-paper-straws-contain-pfas-002062/" markdown_url: "https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2023/10/food-contact-paper-straws-contain-pfas-002062.md" excerpt: "The most sustainable alternative for food contact seems to be the stainless-steel straws, which can be reused and do not contain PFAS." taxonomy_category: - "Circular Economy" - "Food Packaging" - "Materials" - "People" - "Recycling" - "Sustainability" - "Trending" taxonomy_post_tag: - "Business" - "Circular Economy" - "Food Packaging" - "Recycling" - "Sustainability" --- [Home](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/) » [News](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/news/) » [Industry](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/c/industry/) » [Packaging](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/c/industry/packaging/) » [Food Packaging](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/c/industry/packaging/food-packaging/) » Paper straws contribute to PFAS pollution issues # Paper straws contribute to PFAS pollution issues ### **The University of Antwerp analyzed the presence of PFAS on thirty-nine brands of straws from different food contact materials available on the Belgian market** The popularity of alternative-material for food contact has increased among restaurants and brand owners who seek a replacement for plastic due to the banning policies. Based on the available market supply, the University of Antwerp decided to analyze paper straws, glass straws, bamboo straws, stainless steel straws, and plastic straws for 29 different PFAS (a group of synthetic pollutants that are known to be potentially harmful to the environment, humans, and life in general). ## PFAS in food contact materials The results showed that PFAS were found to be present in almost all types of straws, but primarily in those made from plant-based materials: - Paper straws have a concentration of up to 7.5 ng/g - Bamboo straws contain up to 4.47 ng/g. - Glass straws contain 1ng/g but one brand contains 6.65 ng/g. - Plastic straws contain up to 0.924 ng/g. - Stainless-steel straws contain no PFAS. Courtesy of [Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A.](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19440049.2023.2240908) The sum of PFAS concentrations in ng/g, divided into the different PFAS components measured. Courtesy of [Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19440049.2023.2240908) . Average of the total PFAS concentrations (ng/g) in the different studied materials. After these results one would ask, how PFAS contaminated the straws ? ## Where do “Forever chemicals” come from? It remains unclear which portion of the total PFAS concentration in [plant-based food contact materials](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2023/05/pepsico-sees-biopolymers-as-key-to-sustainability-in-flexible-packaging-000308/) is part of the water repellency and which portion is background concentration from recycling or soil contamination. Also, the presence of PFAS in some glass straws might be due to adsorption to silica minerals. ## The most sustainable material The main conclusions of this study are that plant-based straws marketed as eco-friendly alternatives are not more sustainable for the planet than plastics, because they may contribute to the [current prominent PFAS pollution issues.](https://www.4spe.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=8316) The most sustainable material seems to be stainless-steel straws, which: - are reusable - do not contain PFAS - are 100% recyclable Check the scientific article[here](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19440049.2023.2240908) By **[Juliana Montoya](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/author/jmontoyaplasticsengineering-org/)** | October 9, 2023 [https://www.plasticsengineering.org](https://www.plasticsengineering.org) ##### [Juliana Montoya](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/author/jmontoyaplasticsengineering-org/) [Website](https://www.plasticsengineering.org) | [+ postsBio ⮌](#) ### Other posts you could read [April 14, 2026How to Test for Chemical Resistance in Plastic Components](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/04/how-to-test-for-chemical-resistance-in-plastic-components-010963/) [April 10, 2026In Vivo Plastic Waste Upcycling](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/04/in-vivo-plastic-waste-upcycling-010935/) [April 27, 2026Nanocomposite Films from Car Bumper Waste](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/04/nanocomposite-films-from-car-bumper-waste-011041/) [April 29, 2026Renewable Functional Coatings for Advanced Applications](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/04/renewable-functional-coatings-for-advanced-applications-011134/) [April 9, 2026FlexForum 2026 Brings Flexible Packaging Leaders to Fort Myers](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/04/flexforum-2026-brings-flexible-packaging-leaders-to-fort-myers-011346/) [April 6, 2026Thermotropic LCEs Power Soft Robotics](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/04/thermotropic-lces-power-soft-robotics-010984/) [April 20, 2026Real-Time Melt Monitoring in Extrusion and Injection Molding](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/04/real-time-melt-monitoring-in-extrusion-and-injection-molding-011167/) [April 21, 2026Flame-Resistant Polymers for Space Safety and Aerospace Use](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/04/flame-resistant-polymers-for-space-safety-and-aerospace-use-011162/) ## Share Your Thoughts [Cancel reply](/2023/10/food-contact-paper-straws-contain-pfas-002062/#respond) - [https://twitter.com/share?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=2062&text=Paper+straws+contribute+to+PFAS+pollution+issues&via=Plastics_Mag](https://twitter.com/share?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=2062&text=Paper+straws+contribute+to+PFAS+pollution+issues&via=Plastics_Mag) - [https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=2062&t=Paper+straws+contribute+to+PFAS+pollution+issues](https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=2062&t=Paper+straws+contribute+to+PFAS+pollution+issues) - [https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=2062&title=Paper%20straws%20contribute%20to%20PFAS%20pollution%20issues&summary=The+most+sustainable+alternative+for+food+contact+seems+to+be+the+stainless-steel+straws%2C+which+can+be+reused+and+do+not+contain+PFAS.&source=Plastics+Engineering](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=2062&title=Paper%20straws%20contribute%20to%20PFAS%20pollution%20issues&summary=The+most+sustainable+alternative+for+food+contact+seems+to+be+the+stainless-steel+straws%2C+which+can+be+reused+and+do+not+contain+PFAS.&source=Plastics+Engineering) - [https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=2062&title=Paper+straws+contribute+to+PFAS+pollution+issues](https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=2062&title=Paper+straws+contribute+to+PFAS+pollution+issues) - [/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f5ca8680979f909681c8a5999486819c9686d5b09b929c9b9090879c9b92d5d8d5a594859087d5868187948286d5969a9b81879c97808190d5819ad5a5b3b4a6d5859a999980819c9a9bd59c8686809086d3979a918cc89d81818586cfdada828282db85999486819c9686909b929c9b9090879c9b92db9a8792daca85c8c7c5c3c7](/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f5ca8680979f909681c8a5999486819c9686d5b09b929c9b9090879c9b92d5d8d5a594859087d5868187948286d5969a9b81879c97808190d5819ad5a5b3b4a6d5859a999980819c9a9bd59c8686809086d3979a918cc89d81818586cfdada828282db85999486819c9686909b929c9b9090879c9b92db9a8792daca85c8c7c5c3c7) - [#comments](#comments)