Paper straws could be doing more harm than good, study suggests

A study from the South Korea’s Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment has found that paper straws may be worse for the environment than plastic ones. The research analyzed four types of straws—paper, traditional plastic, biodegradable plastic, and sugarcane-based across 16 environmental categories. Traditional plastic straws showed a lower environmental footprint in 10 out of these 16 categories, including human toxicity, particulate matter, and overall climate change impact. Paper straws were found to generate over six times more carcinogens than standard plastic and had double the impact on environmental acidification. South Korean lawmaker Kim Wi-sang criticized domestic environmental groups and his government for prioritizing feel-good narratives over scientific evidence.