We were critical of paper straws because everyone knows they shrivel apart before you finish your drink. Even Kamala Harris admits that. Why is the government forcing consumers to use a clearly inferior product, especially when — as the HOTLINE has reported before — nearly all ocean plastic pollution comes from China, not the United States? But if that wasn’t enough of a reason to reject paper straws, a new study finds they may contain chemicals that are harmful to the environment.

According to a new study from Belgian researchers:

PFAS [poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances] were found to be present in almost all types of straws, but primarily in those made from plant-based materials. These ‘eco-friendly’ plant-based straws are not necessarily a more sustainable alternative to plastic straws, because they can be considered as an additional source of PFAS exposure in humans and the environment (e.g. after degradation in landfills or through incomplete incineration).

Maybe the government will just have to start mandating that everyone drink out of sippy-cups.