Are Plastic Straws Really That Bad?
Amy He ’25
Christine Wu ’25
From the popular “Save the Turtles” movement to the ditching of single-use plastic straws in Starbucks — plastic straws have been the ultimate “bad guy” in recent years for being an unsustainable type of plastic waste. Like other types of common plastics such as disposable cups and food containers, plastic straws are made from polypropylene (PP), a thermoplastic polymer of propylene derived from petroleum (Gracija Nikolovska, 2022). Since PP is a long synthetic chain of chemically bonded propylene that is not found in nature, microorganisms responsible for performing biodegradation do not recognize it. Therefore, PP cannot break down into its natural compounds (Gracija Nikolovska, 2022). Instead, with long-term exposure to sunlight, waves, and temperature extremes, PP disintegrates into microplastics. Additionally, the lightweight nature of plastic straws makes them difficult to be recycled (Danielle, 2018).
However, it is important to note plastic straws are not the only form of plastic waste, nor the most harmful. With eight million tons of plastic entering the ocean annually, only 0.025% are plastic straws (Gibbens, 2019). On the other hand, there is little to no public attention towards the remaining majority of marine plastic, such as abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear (ghost gear). In the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, one of the largest oceanic gyres of plastic waste, ghost gear composes 46% of the 79,000 metric tons of plastic waste, yet receives little to no attention from the general public (Lebreton et al., 2018). Unlike other types of marine plastic, ghost gear is designed to kill and entangle marine animals and can continue for years after abandonment.
Efforts to reduce plastic straws are commendable, but not enough to greatly impact the global plastic pollution problem. In April 2019, Starbucks eliminated plastic straws and plastic stirrers in 28,000 branches worldwide, opting for paper and wooden alternatives instead and implementing the “sippy cup” design that removes the need for a straw for cold drinks (Rainey, 2018). However, these new drink lids are made of plastic, and only a small percentage are successfully recycled despite being marketed as “recyclable”. This phenomenon is similar to other major corporations’ efforts in eliminating plastic straws; even without the straw, people are still using plastic cups.
While addressing plastic straws is an important step toward reducing plastic pollution, it is also crucial to consider the broader problem of single-use plastics and other forms of plastic debris. As individuals, this can be achieved through a combination of daily actions, such as using reusable alternatives to single-use plastic, being more mindful of one's waste, and supporting policies and regulations aimed at reducing plastic pollution. Due to its marketability, the anti-plastic straw movement has acted as a successful starting point for humanity to counter plastic pollution, driving a wider cultural change towards a sustainable future — but we must not stop here.
References
Danielle. (2018, July 3). Plastic Straws a Recycling Problem. Homewood Disposal Service.
Gibbens, S. (2019, January 3). A brief history of how plastic straws took over the world. Environment; National Geographic.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/news-plastic-drinking-straw-history-ban
Gilman, E., Musyl, M., Suuronen, P., Chaloupka, M., Gorgin, S., Wilson, J., & Kuczenski, B. (2021). Highest risk abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear. Scientific Reports, 11(1).
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-86123-3
Gracija Nikolovska. (2022, May 24). All About Polypropylene: How it’s Made and Used. Xometry.com; Xometry.
https://www.xometry.com/resources/materials/polypropylene/
Lebreton, L., Slat, B., Ferrari, F., Sainte-Rose, B., Aitken, J., Marthouse, R., Hajbane, S., Cunsolo, S., Schwarz, A., Levivier, A., Noble, K., Debeljak, P., Maral, H., Schoeneich-Argent, R., Brambini, R., & Reisser, J. (2018). Evidence that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is rapidly accumulating plastic. Scientific Reports, 8(1).
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-22939-w
Rainey, J. (2018, December 30). “Banning plastic straws will not be enough”: The fight to clean the oceans. NBC News; NBC News.
