South Korean study finds paper straws may harm environment more than plastic

A recent analysis by South Korea's Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment compared the life-cycle impacts of paper, plastic, biodegradable plastic and sugarcane-based straws across 16 environmental indicators. Traditional plastic straws ranked lowest in ten categories, including human toxicity and overall climate impact, whereas paper straws generated more than six times the carcinogenic output of plastic and twice the acidification damage.

The study highlighted that paper straws are effectively unrecyclable, often bypassing sorting machinery and requiring extra energy due to water-resistant coatings, potentially introducing microplastics into recycled pulp. Lawmaker Kim Wi-sang condemned the policy push for paper straws as ineffective greenwashing, and a national survey revealed that 87.5% of South Koreans are unfavorable toward paper straws. Experts suggest reusable stainless-steel or silicone straws as a more sustainable alternative.