Paper straws have largely replaced disposable plastic ones across the European Union since the Single-Use Plastics Directive banned the sale of single-use plastic straws on 3 July 2021.

However, making paper survive prolonged contact with liquid presents challenges of its own. Manufacturers may use adhesives, processing aids and coatings to prevent straws from quickly becoming soggy, and some of these processes can introduce unwanted chemicals.

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Half of Straws Exceeded Recommended Level

In 2020, German authorities examined 256 paper products intended to come into contact with food as part of a monitoring program coordinated by the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety. The products included 32 drinking straws.

Of those, 16 released 3-monochloropropanediol (3-MCPD) above the recommended level of 12 micrograms per liter set by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment.

Six also contained detectable levels of 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol (1,3-DCP). Chloropropanols are considered a potential health concern, with some compounds suspected of being carcinogenic. The findings were published in the official monitoring report.

Chloropropanols can form from substances used to help paper retain its strength when wet. A government laboratory in Stuttgart found levels above the recommendation in six of 13 paper straws it tested. A Swiss laboratory raised concerns over chloropropanol levels in eight of 15 products, while half of the samples also affected the taste of the drink.

Importantly, the levels recommended by the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment are guidelines rather than legal limits.

Manufacturers and regulators use them as benchmarks when assessing potential health risks. Exceeding a recommended level does not mean a product poses an immediate danger to health, although it may give authorities grounds for unease.

"Forever Chemicals" Found in Straws

PFAS have also emerged as a concern.

A US study examined 43 brands, including 29 paper straws, nine other plant-based products and five plastic straws. Researchers detected 21 different PFAS in straws made from paper and other plant fibers. None were detected in the plastic products.

When researchers conducted further tests on the most heavily contaminated product, around two-thirds of the extractable PFAS migrated into water.

The chemicals may enter straws through contamination during manufacturing. Another possible source is the use of fluorinated substances to make the material water-resistant.

PFAS are particularly concerning because they break down extremely slowly and can accumulate in both the human body and the environment.

The European Food Safety Authority has set a tolerable weekly intake of 4.4 nanograms per kilogram of body weight for the combined amount of four common PFAS. Crucially, that figure covers a person’s total exposure from all sources, not paper straws alone.

A separate Belgian study found PFAS in 18 of 20 brands of paper straws. The chemicals were also detected in four of five bamboo products, three of four plastic products and two of five glass products.

None of the five stainless steel straws tested contained detectable PFAS.

The researchers cautioned, however, that they measured the chemicals present in the straws themselves rather than how much would migrate into a drink.

Paper Straws Fall Into a Regulatory Gap

Materials that come into contact with food are covered by a general EU regulation, which prohibits substances from migrating into food at levels that could endanger human health or cause unacceptable changes to its composition or taste.

However, unlike plastic, paper and cardboard are not covered by harmonized, material-specific EU rules.

The North Rhine-Westphalia Consumer Advice Center recommends avoiding straws altogether where possible. For those who want to use one, it recommends reusable stainless steel or durable glass alternatives.

Glass straws should not be used by small children because of the risk of breakage, while all reusable straws need to be thoroughly cleaned after each use.