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Pai straw – the only sustainable and healthy alternative
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Taking into account that plastic straws have been banned from July 2021 in the EU under Directive (EU) 2019/904 and banned in Romania under OG 6/2021, natural straw is the best alternative for the environment, but also the healthiest for the population if we take into account that paper straws involve chemical processes and adhesives that go into drinks when the paper is softened.
A study by Belgian researchers, published in the journal Food Additives and Contaminants, has found that most drinking straws, particularly those made of paper and bamboo, contain potentially harmful perfluoroalkylates and polyfluoroalkylates (PFAS) chemicals. These substances can remain in the body and accumulate over time. The study was done on 39 varieties of drinking straws in five materials: paper, stainless steel, bamboo, glass, and plastic. 69% of the brands tested contained PFAS. Paper straws posed the highest risk of PFAS, with these chemicals detected in 90% of the brands tested.
Straw is natural and a renewable resource. The raw material is 100% natural and involves no waste, the leftovers are biodegradable within a few weeks and can be used to feed animals or to cover the soil and help retain moisture and suppress weeds for the next crop.
Producing your drinking straw from wheat, barley, rye involves harvesting the whole stalks, without milling, without the agricultural combine; these stalks are then tied into sheaves, harvested from the field by hand, stored, cut by hand to the size required for your drinking straw and selected, cleaned of knots and any debris, washed, sterilised, packed with a further selection stage of the final product to offer superior quality to our customers; packaging is done in recyclable self-forming cardboard boxes, which do not involve the consumption of plastic or adhesives for gluing.
This type of “handmade production” of straw from straw does not involve chemical processes and contributes to reducing plastic consumption. The whole process involves a lot of time-consuming manual work, but Pai from Pai takes one small step for one man and one giant leap for mankind in the initiative to eliminate plastic from our environment and our food supply.
Using natural straw as a sustainable and healthy alternative to plastic straws is a great option for several reasons:
- Environmentally friendly: Natural straw straw is an environmentally friendly option because it is based on a renewable resource. Paiul is a fast-growing plant that does not require the clearing of forests or the use of other finite natural resources. Straw waste also decomposes naturally within a few weeks without leaving harmful traces in the environment.
- Free of harmful chemicals: As mentioned in the Belgian study, paper and bamboo straws may contain perfluoroalkylates and polyfluoroalkylates (PFAS) chemicals, which can be harmful to health. Natural straw straw is a completely chemical-free option as it requires no chemical production processes or adhesives to manufacture.
- Reducing plastic consumption: Banning plastic straws in the EU and Romania was an important measure to reduce environmental pollution. The use of natural straw helps to reduce plastic consumption and prevent its negative impact on ecosystems and human health.
- Local and sustainable resource: natural straw straw can be grown locally and support local farming communities. This helps boost the local economy and reduce the carbon footprint associated with transporting products over long distances.
- Traditional production: the production process of natural straw straw involves a lot of manual labour and does not require the use of machines or chemical processes. This can help maintain traditions and less industrially intensive production methods.
In conclusion, natural straw is an excellent and sustainable alternative to plastic or paper straws, offering benefits for both the environment and human health.
It is important to promote such sustainable alternatives and educate ourselves to make better decisions about the products we use in our daily lives. The use of natural straw is a concrete example of how we can help protect the environment and improve our health through more responsible choices.
