The Problem with Plastic and Paper Straws
For decades, plastic straws have been one of the biggest contributors to ocean waste — taking over 200 years to decompose, breaking down into toxic microplastics that harm marine life and enter our food chain.
In response, paper straws became popular — but they come with their own issues:
They require cutting down trees and heavy chemical bleaching to produce.
They get soggy quickly, ruining the drinking experience.
Most are not recyclable once used, as the paper is coated with plastic or wax.
So while paper straws seem like a better option, they often just shift the problem instead of solving it.