What’s so bad about plastic straws?

Glad you asked!

Have you watched the video of a sea turtle with a plastic straw up its nostril? This clip with 42+ million views is an agonizing testament to how bad plastic straws are.

It was filmed by marine conservation biologist Dr. Christine Figgener, during an in-water research trip in Costa Rica, when she and her team found a male olive ridley sea turtle with approximately 12cm long plastic straw lodged in his nostril.

Still not convinced to stop using plastic straws?

There are other reasons.

Table of Contents

The Plastic Straw Menace

      The 500+ Million Straws Per Day Theory

      Our Oceans Are Speaking

Other Problems Associated With Plastic Straws

Eco-Friendly Alternatives To Plastic Straws

      Don’t Use Straws

         Countries, Regions, and Cities Where Plastic Straws Have Been Banned

      Compostable Single-Use Plastic Straws

      Glass Straws

      Bamboo Straws

      Paper Straws

      Silicone Straws

      Metal Straws

You Can Save Marine Life and Our Landfills

The Plastic Straw Menace

You would wonder why plastic straws have become the focus of environmental campaigns, yet they contribute a meager 0.025% of the nine million tons of plastic that find their way in our oceans annually.

This number is not meager. Let’s put it in perspective.

Using trash collected in U.S. coastlines during cleanups in over five years, Australian scientists Denise Hardesty and Chris Wilcox estimate that about 7.5 million plastic straws are lying in America’s shorelines alone. Globally, they estimate the figure to be between 437 million and 8.3 billion.

Doesn’t sound so meager now. Does it?

Well, that’s not all. A 9-year old made a breakthrough in 2011, birthing the anti-straw movement.

The 500+ Million Straws Per Day Theory

The movement to ban plastic straws was started in February 2011 by a 9-year-old American boy, Milo Cress. The young boy noticed that whenever he’d order a drink at a restaurant, it came with a straw, even though he didn’t necessarily need it.

Cress also noticed that some consumers removed their straws from their drinks and placed them on the table.  He felt that this was such a waste and contacted U.S. straw manufacturers, who estimated that people use 500 million straws per day, in the U.S. alone.

Cress realized that plastic straws contributed to a lot of unnecessary plastic waste, and launched his project, “ Be Straw Free”. Part of their work includes advising and encouraging restaurants to offer straws instead of giving them automatically.

Now, although Cress’s information began the ban plastic straw movement and his 500+ million straws statistic quoted by major conservation and environmental players such as National Geographic, there’s been criticism.

Critics say that Cress’s findings are unverified!

Well, that might be true. But, aren’t our oceans speaking?

Our Oceans Are Speaking

How?

1. The male olive ridley sea turtle
2. The figures from Australian scientists Denise Hardesty and Chris Wilcox

3. After only 20 minutes of snorkeling in the water, Australian diver, Kasey Turner, collected 319 straws. 24 hours later, she collected another 294 at the same spot.

4. The following weekend, inspired by Turner, Harriet Spark went for dive and collected another 150 straws.

Don’t forget our landfills.

Other Problems Associated With Plastic Straws

In addition to hurting marine life and littering our beaches and landfills, these small items are such bad boys because:

1. They aren’t easy to recycle- According to Jonathan Kuhl of D.C. Department of Public Works, items smaller than two by two inches, including plastic straws, fall through the machinery that sorts their recycling. So, they instead ask people not to put those items in their recycling bins.

Where do you think they end up then?

The landfill or our oceans, where in addition to the turtle, it’s estimated that 1 million sea birds die annually after choking on plastic they mistook for food!

2. 

   Microplastics- Once the plastic straws get into the ocean, they break down into smaller pieces known as microplastics, instead of biodegrading.

Microplastics are small plastic pieces, less than five millimeters long, and which aquatic birds and life confuse for food. It’s projected that by 2050, 99% of all sea birds will have ingested plastic, with an expected mortality rate of up to 50%.

Why should you care, yet you aren’t marine life?

Interesting question.

Have you heard of bioaccumulation? The fish on your plate probably has plastic and the higher up the food chain it is, the more plastic it has. Your tap water probably has microplastics according to a study that revealed 83% of the world’s tap water contains microplastics.

And if you don’t mind ingesting microplastics, Circlestances helps you imagine swimming and surfing in an ocean choked by plastics.

Additionally, there’s scientific evidence that there are microplastics in the human placenta. Although the exact health impacts are still unknown, experts say that these microplastics may cause long-term damage to fetuses.

So, what can you do?

Use eco-friendly alternatives.

Eco-Friendly Alternatives To Plastic Straws

No Straws

Stop using straws.

Advantages:

• Zero environmental footprint
• Zero cost

Disadvantages:

• You’ll most likely seem odd to the waiter, bartender, or your friends. Seize the opportunity and educate them on the dangers of plastic straws.

Additionally, tell them about these countries, cities, airlines, and restaurants that have banned plastic straws.

A few examples:

Countries, Regions, and Cities Where Plastic Straws Have Been Banned

1. Washington, D.C. - On 1 January 2019, a ban on plastic straws in restaurants and other service businesses was effected
2. Starbucks- Aimed to stop using disposable plastic straws globally by 2020, replacing them with recyclable strawless lids and alternative-material straw options. In September 2020, the franchise debuted their sippy cup lids for iced beverages.
3. McDonald's- Stopped using plastic straws in all its UK and Ireland restaurants since September 2018. The business used 8 million straws a day in the UK.
4. Alaska Airlines- First U.S. airline to stop using plastic straws.
5. China- Planned to ban plastic straws at restaurants by end of 2020, and phase out bags and several single-use plastics by 2025. The country ushered in 2021 by effecting the ban on plastic straws and single-use shopping bags. Guangdong capital, Guangzhou, has outlawed the use of plastic tableware.
6. Germany- Plans to effect the ban on the sale of single-use plastic straws, cotton buds, cutlery, and food containers on July 3, 2021. This aligns with the EU’s directive to reduce plastic waste.
7. European Union- Courtesy of their January 2018 plastics’ strategy, all countries in the EU pledged in April 2019, to eliminate 10 most used single-use plastics including plastics straws, by 2021.
8. Jamaica- Got into the final-phase of their single-use plastic ban that was launched on January 1, 2019. The ban on disposable plastic straws attached to pouches or drink boxes and 24’’ by 24’’ single-use plastic bags was effected on January 1, 2021.
9. Vanuatu- Banned manufacture, use, and importation of plastic straws and polystyrene takeaway containers, and other single-use plastics in 2018.
10. Antigua and Barbuda- Banned plastic utensils including straws in 2018. Styrofoam has been banned too. Other Caribbean countries that are following suit include the Dominican Republic, Bahamas, Belize, Grenada, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago.
11. Rwanda- Banned single-use plastic items, including plastic straws, in August 2019. The country had earlier on, in 2008, banned the production, use, importation, and sale of all types of plastic bags and packaging.
12. South Africa- Plans to tax all single-use plastics, including straws, from 2021, to boost revenue and change behavior. In 2019, the country was weighing two options- to tax or to ban.
13. South Australia- On September 9, 2020, South Australia became the first Australian state to enact a ban on SUPs, including plastic straws. The ban will be effected on a date to be determined by the government in 2021.
14. Kenya- Banned single-use plastics in all protected areas including beaches, national parks, conservation areas, and forests on 5 June 2020.

Compostable Single-Use Plastic Straws

These are only good in theory, as they aren’t better than regular plastic straws when they get into the environment.

Why?

They’re designed to break down only in commercial compost facility conditions, and improper disposal only gets us back to the plastics issue.

Glass Straws

Made of borosilicate glass tubing, hence very low thermal expansion. Others are made of tempered glass.

Advantages

• Aren’t good conductors of heat making them great for both hot and cold drinks. A good option for people with sensitive teeth
• Dishwasher safe
• Reusable
• It’s cool to see your drink come up as you suck
• Easy to wash
• Stylish and elegant
• Don’t leech chemicals or flavor

Disadvantages

• Could break easily, therefore, shouldn’t be used by children
• Not good for traveling because they break easily

Bamboo Straws

Made from bamboo.

Advantages

• Reusable
• Biodegradable and compostable
• Don’t conduct heat or cold. A great option for people with sensitive teeth

Disadvantages

• May absorb flavors
• Shorter life span. Used for six months then replaced
• Not dishwasher safe
• They can soften, warp and crack if left to soak in liquids for a long time

Paper Straws

Made by binding together three plies of paper with a small amount of water-based adhesive. Some paper straws have a thin plastic lining (polyethylene) to reduce the rate at which they get soggy in liquids.

Advantages

• The most popular single-use alternative to plastic straws
• Marine-life friendly
• Take one to two months to compost and six months to break down in saltwater

Disadvantages

• Single-use, hence the argument that they’re a greener solution but not green
• Get soggy/mushy after about 30 minutes of sitting in your drink
• Could leave a taste or fibers in your drink
• Thickened ones solve the issue of sogginess, but are difficult to recycle

Silicone Straws

Advantages

• Highly durable
• Unlikely to hurt you because they’re soft
• Safe for kids
• Travel-friendly
• More ocean-friendly than plastic. While plastics break down into microplastics, silicone doesn’t break down as much. It is doesn’t easily biodegrade or decompose
• Can be recycled multiple times
• It’s inert so won’t react with other chemicals or compounds
• Although difficult to burn, when it does, it doesn’t produce any toxic fumes or materials
• Heat resistant until 315 degrees Celsius. It’s, therefore, safe for hot drinks

Disadvantages

• Can be recycled easily BUT needs to be sent to a specialized recycling company for proper recycling. We don't know of any recyling facility in Kenya that takes silicone.
• Has the same littering problem as plastic, because most users will just throw it away at the end of its life. It’ll just sit there for centuries (estimated as 5) as it doesn’t break down
• They may be awkward to use because they’re very bendable

Metal Straws

Made of titanium, aluminum, or stainless steel 304

Advantages

• More durable than bamboo and glass straws
• Travel-friendly
• Reusable
• Easy to clean and dishwasher-safe
• Don’t leech chemicals or flavors
• Don’t interact with the product you’re consuming, hence no after taste
• 100% recyclable
• Stylish and elegant
• Can be washed in hot water, just don’t burn yourself
• Come in varieties- straight, bent/curved, and silicone capped

Disadvantages

• Get cold when drinking cold drinks. This is manageable, however.
• Conduct heat. DON’T use to drink hot beverages
• Could clank against the teeth, making them no so suitable for children. Bamboo straws could be an alternative for kids.
• Like silicone, metals don’t biodegrade. So, please send them to a recycler once they’ve reached their end of life
• May corrode over time if not made from food-grade metals. Use stainless steel 304 straws, for example, which are rust-proof.

You Can Save Marine Life and Our Landfills

Stop using plastic straws today and buy eco-friendly plastic straw alternatives, if you must use a straw. Just make sure to clean them after every use to prevent bacterial growth.

Should you prefer alternatives that need recycling at the end of use, for instance metal straws, please make sure that you deposit them at your nearest recycling facility. Using eco-friendly plastic straw alternatives is great, but what’s the purpose if you’ll throw them away after use? Remember the 5Rs- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rethink, and Refuse!

*Don’t be mean. Be Green*