Straws
Quantity discount
EUR10,14 per piece for 3 units
Westmark 6 drinking straws glass + cleaning brushes, ø 8 x 200 mm
6x
Do paper straws release harmful substances into your drink?
2/9/2026
Translation: Katherine Martin
Although they’re meant to be more environmentally friendly, paper straws release harmful substances into your drink. I’ve looked into why these straws are – justifiably – controversial and what alternatives are out there.
At this point, it doesn’t surprise anyone that drinks often have a strange, cardboard-like taste when you sip them through a paper straw. In the EU, it’s almost impossible to avoid flimsy paper straws that disintegrate into a soggy mess inside your glass within just a few minutes. In Switzerland, plastic straws are still permitted. Even so, many manufacturers, bars and restaurants have switched to paper alternatives.
For the sake of the environment. In and of itself, that’s very commendable. However, many people have since realised that disposable paper straws don’t quite live up to this objective – even if they are plastic-free.
Harmful chemicals are used to keep paper straws intact
But is switching to paper straws at least worth it for health reasons? Well, probably not. To prevent paper straws from turning to papier mâché as soon as they’re submerged in a drink, they’re made with chemicals known as wet-strength agents. During the manufacturing process, chloropropanols, a group of potentially carcinogenic substances form as a byproduct (page in German). These chemicals have been discovered in multiple lab-based tests conducted on paper straws over the years. Several studies have also detected PFAS in paper straws. These are long-lasting, fluorinated chemicals that generally don’t break down in the environment, and can also build up inside the body.
In a bid to investigate this, consumer magazine «Öko-Test» had 20 paper straws tested in a lab (article in German). The result? Chloropropanols weren’t detected as often as they were in previous studies. However, some of the straws did contain PFAS and excessive levels of the preservative benzisothiazolinone.
It’s still unclear if paper straws’ cardboard taste is brought about by these chemicals. One thing’s for certain, though: when it came to the lab-tested straws, excessively high chloropropanol levels often occurred alongside a strange taste (article in German).
However, the German authorities don’t see this as a reason for alarm. Even straws that exceeded guideline values were confirmed by both the The Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority and the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment to present no immediate danger (websites in German).
It’s all about the quantity
The crucial factor in all of this is the quantity of chemicals you’re exposed to over time. If you have a fizzy drink at a cafe, you’ll almost certainly be consuming way less than the amount considered dangerous. Exposure levels only become a concern with regular, extended use of paper straws – especially by children, who reach recommended limits more quickly due to their lower body weight. St. Gallen’s cantonal laboratory came to a very similar conclusion. More than half of the paper straws tested by the lab exceeded the same guideline level (article in German). The fact that contaminated straws keep being discovered is partly down to the lack of legally mandated threshold levels (page in German). Funnily enough, legal limits apply to plastic packaging, but not to products made of paper and cardboard.
In fact, complying with these reference values would be completely feasible. During a study conducted by the German Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety, about half of the 32 drinking straws tested showed no abnormalities (page in German). So the problem isn’t the material itself – it’s how carefully individual manufacturers measure out their wet-strength agents. Unfortunately, there’s no surefire way to identify chemical-laden straws. Neither the packaging nor the appearance gives you any clue as to whether they meet health guidelines.
The best alternative is no alternative
With this in mind, the best solution is simply not to bother with disposable paper straws. That way, you won’t harm the environment or your health. However, if you absolutely want to sip your drink through a straw, there are toxin-free, tasteless alternatives made of glass and stainless steel. The plus point of transparent glass straws is that you can see straight away if they’ve been properly cleaned. Meanwhile, stainless steel straws have a smooth, hard surface that prevents scratches and indentations where germs could accumulate. Whichever alternative you go for, it’s crucial you clean your straws thoroughly to prevent residue or germs from building up inside.
Header image: gresei/Shutterstock
Anna Sandner
Senior Editor
Anna.Sandner@galaxus.deScience editor and biologist. I love animals and am fascinated by plants, their abilities and everything you can do with them. That's why my favourite place is always the outdoors - somewhere in nature, preferably in my wild garden.
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