Paper straws are worse for the environment than plastic straws.

Is it true that paper straws are worse for the environment than plastic straws?

Partly. One life-cycle assessment found paper straws had higher environmental impacts than bio-plastic (PLA) straws, while a systematic review of packaging LCAs found paper often preferable to plastics and another paper frames paper straws as a way to cut plastic pollution. No retrieved item directly compares paper straws with conventional plastic straws on overall environmental impact.

Verdict: CONTESTED PARTIAL · 1 source for, 3 against · Last checked 2 Oct 2026

The private library was unavailable for some searches in this check. Missing library results are not evidence against the claim.

Moy, C., Tan, L., Shoparwe, N. F., Shariff, A. M., & Tan, J. (2021). Comparative Study of a Life Cycle Assessment for Bio-Plastic Straws and Paper Straws: Malaysia’s Perspective. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9061007

Are drinking straws a minor source of ocean plastic pollution?. (2018). skeptics.stackexchange.com. https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/41773/are-drinking-straws-a-minor-source-of-ocean-plastic-pollution

Zhang, J. & Pal, L. (2024). Paper drinking straws coated with cellulose acetate and polyhydroxyalkanoates via an entropy-driven approach and natural colorants as alternatives for plastic drinking straws. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.15376/biores.19.3.4043-4046

G, D., S, P., G, C., C, T., F, F., L, R., & M, G. (2025). How does plastic compare with alternative materials in the packaging sector? A systematic review of LCA studies.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242x241241606