Plastic straws have become a controversial topic in recent years, and many people are trying to find out how plastic straws affect our planet. What we know today about these plastics could possibly change tomorrow, making them even more dangerous to the environment than we previously thought.
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How long do plastic straws decompose?
Plastic straws can take anywhere between 100-500 years to decompose and are much harder to recycle than other types of plastic. Most people do not realize that these plastic straws are actually made from fossil fuels. While there are claimed to be biodegradable and compostable, plastic straws but they can not fully decompose in any way. Instead, they break down into smaller pieces that may leach chemicals into the water supply, putting us at risk for cancer. Furthermore, when plastic straws end up in landfills, they add to the problems associated with fossil fuels. On average, landfills only decompose 50% of their material each year. Additionally, the production of plastic straws requires lots of petroleum-based products.
Are paper straws better for the environment?
When thinking about natural alternatives to plastic products, paper straws have been popping up everywhere. The first thing to know about paper straws is that they are not just a “green” option to plastic straws. Paper straws are indeed biodegradable and compostable, but the process of making them requires a lot of energy and results in the emission of greenhouse gases. In addition, the production of paper straws leads to the destruction of forests. That said, paper straws do provide some advantages over plastic ones. Unlike plastic straws, these materials won’t end up leaching harmful chemicals into our water supply. However, anyone who previously used paper straws for their beverages would have noticed that they do not last long when in contact with anything that is watery. As it becomes soggy the straws themselves affect the drink negatively.
Are sugarcane straws biodegradable?
Sugarcane straws are natural and biodegradable alternatives to plastic ones. A sugarcane straw takes on average 3-6 months to decompose. These straws are grown using traditional farming methods, without pesticides or any other harmful chemicals. They are made from sugarcane fiber(bagasse) extracted from the sugar manufacturing process and served as a direct replacement for petroleum-based plastic straws. Furthermore, sugarcane straws can last in a beverage for several hours, even lasting days in some cases.
As people continue to be more environmentally conscious, municipalities are taking action in banning these straws from restaurants and retail locations in an effort to reduce waste. This will hopefully make plastic straws disappear from our environment and landfills sooner rather than later.
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