Study: Paper Straws Worse For The Environment Than Regular Straws

Not the Bee ^ | October 26, 2026 | Daniel Plainview

[Red Badger]

This is absolutely glorious.

A new study from South Korea found that paper straws are somehow worse for the environment than single-use plastic straws.

None of the "eco-friendly" solutions actually worked, and switching away from plastic straws didn't really help the environment. https://t.co/aJYnZEWRuT— Pubity (@pubity) October 25, 2026

Don't forget to mention this to the blue-haired waitress at your local social club!

A South Korean government-commissioned study has determined that paper straws are actually worse for the environment than plastic straws.

Researchers measured the full life cycle impact of four types of straws: plastic straws, paper, biodegradable, and bio-based polyethylene.

From The Korea Herald:

Conventional plastic straws had the smallest impact in 10 of the 16 categories, including climate change, acidification, particulate matter, and human toxicity.

Bio-PE straws had the largest impact in 10 categories, including ozone depletion, acidification, and smog.

Paper straws had the largest impact in three categories, while biodegradable plastic straws did so in two.

South Korea has some skin in the game here. They restricted plastic straws at cafes and restaurants in 2022. A survey, of course, found that almost 90% of Koreans prefer regular old plastic straws.

And they might just be environmentally correct in doing so.

Compared with conventional plastic straws, paper straws also had 2.04 times the acidification impact.

Bio-PE straws were even worse, with 16.18 times the human carcinogenic impact and 5.9 times the acidification impact.

Biodegradable plastic straws had 3.34 times the carcinogenic impact and 1.98 times the acidification impact.

I think we know why Mitch McConnell has been so sick the past few years! Article Image

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Health/Medicine; History; Outdoors
KEYWORDS: propaganda

[SkyDancer]

Yeah, they put paper straws in plastic sleeves. Go figger.

[Nervous Tick]

>> almost 90% of Koreans prefer regular old plastic straws

Because plastic straws SUCK!

[Phoenix8]

Yes I remember when the lefties were shaming everyone in America. For our plastic straws and Walmart bags. Claiming We created these giant plastic gyres in the Pacific. Then a few years later a study came out that showed 90%+ of the plastic in the Pacific came from a handful of Asian nations (Philippines, China. Vietnam and maybe Cambodia..can’t remember exactly). Then the libs became quite about it since they could not blame it on a western nation.