Paper Straws: A Compelling Case — But at What Cost? #PFAS
Roberts Creek, BC. Sept 2025 — Straws aren’t just convenience items. They protect teeth, prevent ice from crashing into your face, and are essential for many people with disabilities. In hospitality, straws are part of the experience. But today, the question isn’t whether straws should exist — it’s what kind we choose to use.
Plastic Straws: A Legacy of Pollution
For decades, plastic straws defined convenience culture. Cheap and durable, they seemed harmless until science revealed the staggering hidden costs. Plastic straws don’t biodegrade — they break down into microplastics that now contaminate oceans, marine life, and even human bloodstreams. With chemicals like BPA adding to the risks, plastic straws are a global health and environmental hazard.
Paper Straws: The Eco-Friendly Mirage
When bans on plastic straws swept across the globe, paper straws stepped in as the so-called solution. Lightweight, compostable, and marketed as sustainable, they quickly became the industry’s eco-badge. But there’s a darker side: many paper straws are treated with PFAS — the “forever chemicals” linked to cancer, hormone disruption, and environmental damage. PFAS don’t break down; they accumulate in water, soil, and our bodies.
Worse still, customers dislike them. They collapse in drinks, impart a soggy texture, and often ruin the beverage experience. “What was meant as a feel-good solution is, in practice, undermining both sustainability and customer experience,” says Gerald Shaffer, founder of Shaffer Farms in British Columbia.
A Disaster in Waiting
Plastic straws are choking ecosystems. Paper straws may be poisoning them. Both represent quick fixes that create a false sense of progress. The real disaster is assuming the problem is solved when it isn’t.
A Call for Smarter Choices
If straws are here to stay — and they should be — the industry must demand smarter alternatives. Natural rye straws, stainless steel, bamboo, and silicone are proven options that balance usability, safety, and sustainability. Shaffer Farms produces OG Rye Straw Stems, grown and harvested in Canada, that are 100% natural, durable, and free of chemicals.
“There is a compelling argument for straws,” Shaffer says. “But unless we make better choices, the cost could be catastrophic.”
Media Contact:
Gerald Shaffer
Shaffer Farms – Sunshine Coast, BC
📞 604-865-0588
🌐 www.ogstraws.com