ONE YEAR INTO THE BAN OF DISPOSABLE PLASTIC DRINKING STRAWS – A REVIEW OF THE WINNERS AND LOSERS OF THE ALTERNATIVES
THE OPEN-TO-CLEAN PRINCIPLE DIVIDED INTO TWO HALVES, SIMPLY RINSE BY HAND OR CLEAN IN THE DISHWASHER AND ENJO
THE OPEN-TO-CLEAN PRINCIPLE DIVIDED INTO TWO HALVES, SIMPLY RINSE BY HAND OR CLEAN IN THE DISHWASHER AND ENJOY AGAIN.
The Cantonal Research Lab St Gallen tested 12 different paper drinking straws regarding taste and contaminants. Out of these 12, seven released chloropropanols into the liq14 |
Issue 98 |
October 2022
uid, two released mineral oils and two others released photo-initiators. Studies carried out by the Veterinary Research Department Stuttgart (CVUA Stuttgart) measured amounts of chloropropanols above the recommended BfR-benchmark in six of 13 drinking straws. Even worse results have been published by the Chemical and Veterinary Research Department Münsterland-Emscher-Lippe (CVUAMEL). They tested 64 paper straws and almost half of them showed an increased amount of 3-MCPD. 20 per cent contained dichloropropanol (1,3-DCP) – also potentially carcinogenic. The report describes paper drinking straws as a ‘colourful chloropropanol cocktail’.
This is where Berlin-based design studio Emamidesign comes in. It has developed a simple yet ingenious solution, which has already received various awards including the prestigious Red Dot Award. Their ‘Sliderstraw’ can simply be divided into two halves, easily cleaned residue-free manually or in the dishwasher and reused – just as hygienic and practical as cutlery. Find out more: www.sliderstraw.com Design by Arman Emami: www.emamidesign.de
PHOTOS: SLIDERSTRAW
Drinking straws made of paper are trendy and frequently used in cafes, pubs and restaurants. You might think that paper is biodegradable and therefore environmentally friendly, but facts show that this is short-sighted. To make paper water-resistant and stop the straws from immediately dissolving in the drink, manufacturers add stabilising resins and chemicals. These added stabilisers contain carcinogenic substances, which dissolve and are consumed with the drink.
Aside from the health hazard, the environmental footprint is even worse compared to common plastic straws. Precious wood resources are wasted on single-use paper straws and the processing into paper needs a vast amount of energy. Due to the added resins and chemicals the straws cannot be recycled. All in all, it sounds like ‘green-washing’.
TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE I
It’s been a year since the ban of single-use plastic crockery has been introduced in the EU, including disposable plastic straws. Since then, there has been an eclectic mix of alternatives with varying success. Not all products convince the consumer – but some remain popular despite clear disadvantages.