Until recently, around 36.4 billion plastic straws were used per year in the European Union, according to data from Seas At Risk. Fortunately, several countries and areas around the world are starting to wake up to the environmental impact of plastic straws. The islands of Vanuatu and Seychelles were the first countries to outright ban plastic straws, and the EU is planning to take them out of circulation in 2021.
However, there have been some questions about the quality of plastic straw replacements – particularly when it comes to paper straws. And one key question is whether paper straws get soggy. As brands want to ensure a great user experience for consumers, this is a question that needs to be addressed.
Do paper straws go soggy? The short answer is yes, paper straws can get soggy before a drink is finished – but only if they’re manufactured poorly. The higher the quality of the paper, glue, and the straw’s structural design, the longer they’ll survive in liquid.
So, the issue of soggy paper straws is directly linked to production standards.
We work with leading global food and beverage brands. Our machines manufacture paper straws to the highest possible standards, using our unique spiraling and glue application technology to ensure 100% quality output. The resulting paper straws are strong, durable, and completely tasteless.
Paper straws are widely acknowledged as one small part of the answer to plastic pollution, though there is a genuine concern about the durability of paper straws. In the UK, for example, there was a petition for McDonald’s to bring back plastic straws. Some of the consumers’ worries included:
While we shouldn’t dismiss these very real consumer concerns, the petition didn’t reach the required 75,000 signatures to be debated. After all, 74% of consumers are happy to pay extra for sustainable packaging such as paper straws, and 67% of consumers consider themselves environmentally aware.
Paper straws are rapidly growing in popularity, despite the uncommon (yet high-profile) instances where paper straws have been politicized. This makes it even more important to educate consumers on the real advantages of paper straws, and it means the industry must work hard to ensure quality across the board so the products maintain a good consumer reputation for the long term.
Remember the big plastic straw discourse of 2018? Businesses and cities rushed to ban plastic straws due to environmental concerns, but disability advocates pushed back, calling out the practice as fundamentally ableist. In a 2018 article for Sprudge, RJ Joseph wrote, “according to disability rights advocates, banning disposable plastic straws, which were originally created as disability aides, presents unacceptable barriers for people with many disabilities.”
Then the pandemic hit. For now at least, here in 2021 plastic straws are still readily available, but their use is on the decline as large-scale businesses like Starbucks have switched to sippable lids for iced drinks. Plastic straw alternatives are hotter than ever, and according to Popular Science, the stainless steel metal straw is currently the most popular plastic straw alternative. But are metal straws safe? The answer might shock (and disgust) you.
While metal straws are durable and sturdy, their rigidness and size has been known to cause injury, and even death. 2.8 million metal straws were recalled by Starbucks in 2016 due to injury risk. A four-year-old child sustained serious injuries after running and drinking with a metal straw. A British woman suffered a traumatic brain injury after falling upon her metal straw, piercing her eye and ultimately killing her. It is advised that if using a metal straw, one shouldn’t use a lid, be in a car, walking, or in motion—and children shouldn’t use them at all.
If the shocking risks of injury or death weren’t enough, how about the ick factor? Stainless steel metal straws are perfect vessels for mold and bacteria from food particles left behind—even after thorough rinsing. Metal straws mask what might be growing on the inside, and it’s advised that metal straws be soaked and scrubbed with a long brush. Dishwashers aren’t enough!
And who really wants to scrub their straws after every use ? Oh, if only there was an environmentally friendly option?! Haha, Pura Vida Bioplastics Straws
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Sure paper straws are good for the environment, but have you tried drinking out of them?
Pura Vida Bioplastics to the rescue! The strength of plastic, while being good for the environment!
This has been an exciting week at Pura Vida Bioplastics here in Houston Texas!
With the arrival of our new equipment, we are ready to launch into a new age of bio-based plastics production in the United States and abroad.
The first of many more machines to come! Reach out to us for a quote any time!
