There may be more reason to avoid paper drinking straws than general distaste for them, a new study from the University of Florida, published last week in ScienceDirect, suggests.
The researchers found per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which in layman's terms are potentially harmful chemicals, in paper and other plant-based straws, which have become more common amid a global push to cut back on the use of plastics. In fact, the PFASs may provide the straws with their water-resistant properties.
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