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In order to remain impermeable during exposure to liquid, wouldn’t a paper straw have to have some kind of coating? If that coating is plastic, then it would be

In order to remain impermeable during exposure to liquid, wouldn’t a paper straw have to have some kind of coating? If that coating is plastic, then it would be no solution to the problem for which plastic straws have been criticized: microplastic pollution in the environment. If the coating is wax, the Wikipedia article for wax paper[0] suggests that there are often environmental issues. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wax_paper https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wax_paper

jacobolus 8y ago
There were a few decades where paper straws were the standard. When plastic straws were first introduced, people complained that they were too light and wouldn’t stay down in carbonated drinks.
- Mediterraneo10 8y ago
  > There were a few decades where paper straws were the standard. That still doesn’t answer the question I raised in my post though. Where the standard paper straws wax paper?
  - snazz 8y ago
    The modern ones seem to be very lightly coated if at all. I do think that the reaction that they are impossible to drink from is more than a little silly, though. Maybe if you leave the straw in the drink for many hours it will collapse on you? I haven’t tried that.
    - mises 8y ago
      I have used paper once or twice (albeit not in Florida, just some random place), and it didn't take long to get soggy. Drove me nuts. I feel like businesses will love this; forces people to drink quickly.
    - Mediterraneo10 8y ago
      > I do think that the reaction that they are impossible to drink from is more than a little silly, though. Why is it silly? Untreated cellulose is extremely absorbent. Other paper utensils that will either hold liquid or be exposed to liquid are almost always treated with wax or plastic.
    - privong 8y ago
      > I do think that the reaction that they are impossible to drink from is more than a little silly, though. Maybe if you leave the straw in the drink for many hours it will collapse on you? I haven’t tried that. I've had some paper straws that were okay. But I've had many that were soggy within 15 or 20 minutes? Particularly straws in milkshakes. But I suspect doesn't help that I'm in Florida – the high humidity means paper straws probably have a higher moisture content than other places, just by virtue of being in this environment. So it takes less absorption from the drink to make them loose structural integrity and start to collapse.
corodra 8y ago
Floridan here. All coastal bars/restaurants must have paper straws. Generally, they're single drink use. You might get a second glass worth if you drink fast. I don't really notice a wax on them. If they happen to have any.... they might as well not bother. I'm a born/raised Floridian, so I grew up on all the propaganda about ocean life getting tortured by soda rings, straws and other garbage. One of my transplant friends threw away some some soda rings without snipping them. I lectured/yelled at them for a good 15 minutes and showed them pictures of animals who got caught in the rings. We give a shit about sea turtles and no one complains about paper straws out of fear of being stabbed to death by Florida man as he protects the sea life.
- Dylan16807 8y ago
  What's the chance of it getting to the ocean when I'm properly throwing it away? Also they apparently all use photo-degradable plastic since 30 years ago.
  - corodra 8y ago
    Bars and restaurants near the ocean. Thus, it's people with their drinks that walk near the ocean and are assholes. Plus, straws blow in the wind by decent and fair accidents.
  - corodra 8y ago
    Forgot to mention: seagulls. I’m guessing other birds too, but seagulls mostly pick trash from landfills and carry it around. Especially the soda rings if it gets caught around their neck.
- nichos 8y ago
  Floridian here too, Jaxson to be exact. You must be in south Florida or somewhere not near North Florida. There's no ban here on straws at the beaches. Southern Florida is much more progressive than North Florida (See any election result). We're basically Southern Georgia.
  - corodra 8y ago

jacobolus 8y ago

There were a few decades where paper straws were the standard. When plastic straws were first introduced, people complained that they were too light and wouldn’t stay down in carbonated drinks.

Mediterraneo10 8y ago
> There were a few decades where paper straws were the standard. That still doesn’t answer the question I raised in my post though. Where the standard paper straws wax paper?
- snazz 8y ago
  The modern ones seem to be very lightly coated if at all. I do think that the reaction that they are impossible to drink from is more than a little silly, though. Maybe if you leave the straw in the drink for many hours it will collapse on you? I haven’t tried that.
  - mises 8y ago
    I have used paper once or twice (albeit not in Florida, just some random place), and it didn't take long to get soggy. Drove me nuts. I feel like businesses will love this; forces people to drink quickly.
  - Mediterraneo10 8y ago
    > I do think that the reaction that they are impossible to drink from is more than a little silly, though. Why is it silly? Untreated cellulose is extremely absorbent. Other paper utensils that will either hold liquid or be exposed to liquid are almost always treated with wax or plastic.
  - privong 8y ago
    > I do think that the reaction that they are impossible to drink from is more than a little silly, though. Maybe if you leave the straw in the drink for many hours it will collapse on you? I haven’t tried that. I've had some paper straws that were okay. But I've had many that were soggy within 15 or 20 minutes? Particularly straws in milkshakes. But I suspect doesn't help that I'm in Florida – the high humidity means paper straws probably have a higher moisture content than other places, just by virtue of being in this environment. So it takes less absorption from the drink to make them loose structural integrity and start to collapse.

corodra 8y ago

Floridan here. All coastal bars/restaurants must have paper straws. Generally, they're single drink use. You might get a second glass worth if you drink fast. I don't really notice a wax on them. If they happen to have any.... they might as well not bother. I'm a born/raised Floridian, so I grew up on all the propaganda about ocean life getting tortured by soda rings, straws and other garbage. One of my transplant friends threw away some some soda rings without snipping them. I lectured/yelled at them for a good 15 minutes and showed them pictures of animals who got caught in the rings. We give a shit about sea turtles and no one complains about paper straws out of fear of being stabbed to death by Florida man as he protects the sea life.

Dylan16807 8y ago
What's the chance of it getting to the ocean when I'm properly throwing it away? Also they apparently all use photo-degradable plastic since 30 years ago.
- corodra 8y ago
  Bars and restaurants near the ocean. Thus, it's people with their drinks that walk near the ocean and are assholes. Plus, straws blow in the wind by decent and fair accidents.
- corodra 8y ago
  Forgot to mention: seagulls. I’m guessing other birds too, but seagulls mostly pick trash from landfills and carry it around. Especially the soda rings if it gets caught around their neck.
nichos 8y ago
Floridian here too, Jaxson to be exact. You must be in south Florida or somewhere not near North Florida. There's no ban here on straws at the beaches. Southern Florida is much more progressive than North Florida (See any election result). We're basically Southern Georgia.
- corodra 8y ago