In recent years, plastic straws have become a major source of plastic waste in the oceans due to their non-biodegradable nature, causing significant environmental pollution. At the same time, paper straws, touted as an eco-friendly alternative, often pose inconvenience as they tend to become soggy when in contact with liquids.
Efforts to address the dual challenge of meeting consumer demand while also fulfilling environmental requirements have led scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts to develop easily degradable plastic straws using innovative materials.
For years, plastic straws have been a prevalent form of marine plastic litter. “Many alternatives have emerged, including paper straws. However, a common complaint often heard from consumers is their tendency to quickly become saturated,” stated researcher Bryan James to the media.
James, along with other scientists, has been researching new materials for straws to create a product that is both user-friendly and rapidly degradable in marine environments.
Through collaboration with the bioplastic manufacturing company “Eastman,” the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution has produced an experimental type of straw using wood polymer. In seawater environments, these straws can biodegrade within a year, even outpacing the degradation rate of paper straws.
A paper published earlier by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution this year highlighted the variability in plastic formulations used by manufacturers, such as polylactic acid (PLA), polypropylene (PP), among others. Novel materials like cellulose diacetate, extracted from wood pulp, have shown promising results. Experiments demonstrated that foam straws made from this wood pulp derivative degrade significantly faster compared to traditional plastics and paper straws.
Notably, paper straws are not as environmentally friendly as commonly believed. A research paper published in the “Food Additives and Contaminants” journal in 2023 revealed that 90% of purportedly “eco-friendly” paper straws contain “persistent chemicals” like perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), compounds that are difficult to degrade and can accumulate in the human body over the long term.
The ongoing efforts to develop degradable plastic straws by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution signify a crucial step towards addressing plastic pollution in marine environments while ensuring consumer convenience and environmental sustainability simultaneously.