Keeper66
Impact Sub
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2024
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- 286
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No one is disputing that. The important thing in relation to this issue of plastic straws vs paper straws is, as I quoted before.According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), PFAS are widely used and persist for long periods of time in the environment, meaning they are found in the blood of people and animals around the world, as well as air, water, soil and in low levels in foods, packaging and household products.
What health risks are associated with PFAS?
While scientists are still working to determine the extent to which PFAS impact us, animals and our environment, they are already associated with a list of health concerns.
According to the EPA, PFAS have been linked to:
- Reproductive effects such as decreased fertility or increased high blood pressure in pregnant women.
- Developmental effects or delays in children, including low birth weight, accelerated puberty, bone variations, or behavioral changes.
- Increased risk of some cancers, including prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers.
- Reduced ability of the body’s immune system to fight infections, including reduced vaccine response.
- Interference with the body’s natural hormones.
- Increased cholesterol levels and/or risk of obesity.
"While PFAS were present in most straws tested, the low concentration, paired with the limited extent to which people use straws, means they don’t pose an immediate risk to humans.
Small amounts of PFAS are not harmful in and of themselves, but rather their ability to build up over time, including in the human body, is what poses the most risk. Even with these findings, plant-based straws are still better for the environment than straight-up plastics."