For straws made from paper and bamboo, they could not determine whether contamination with the forever chemicals occurred from contamination of soil or processing, or was added deliberately to improve straw performance. For paper straws, they theorize PFAS could also originate from paper recycling chain.
“Small amounts of PFAS, while not harmful in themselves, can add to the chemical load already present in the body,” Dr. Thimo Groffen, an environmental scientist at the University of Antwerp, said. “The presence of PFAS in paper and bamboo straws shows they are not necessarily biodegradable. We did not detect any PFAS in stainless steel straws, so I would advise consumers to use this type of straw – or just avoid using straws at all.”
PFAS chemicals have been associated with low birth weight, thyroid disease, increased cholesterol levels, liver damage, kidney cancer and testicular cancer.
The findings were published in peer-reviewed journal Food Additives and Contaminants.