Florida bill would ban paper straws due to PFAS health risks and concerns
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A bill introduced in Florida targets paper straws and stirrers in food businesses and restaurants.
Senate Bill 958 was introduced on December 18, along with HB 2195, the same House bill introduced on December 26, to limit what cities and counties can do in terms of regulating straws and stirrers.
HB 2195 states, “Many businesses and communities in this state use paper straws and stirrers, which are claimed to be a better option for public health and the environment.” he says.
“However, independent university studies have shown that most paper straws contain harmful PFAS chemicals, which have been linked to associated health risks of exposure.”
RESTAURANTS MAY BE BANNED FROM DISTRIBUTING KETCHUP PACKAGES AND NAPKINS UNDER DELAWARE LAW
The bill states that any regulation of straws must be based on “government policy guided by science.”
In a 2023 study published in the journal Food Additives and Contaminants, researchers at the University of Antwerp in Belgium found that 90% of paper straw brands tested contained PFAS chemicals.
A paper straw ban has been proposed in Florida, with officials citing PFAS chemicals and health risks. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Researchers found PFAS chemicals in 27 of 39 different types of straw and concluded that these chemicals were most likely used as a waterproof coating.
PFAS chemicals were most frequently detected in paper straws.
If local authorities choose to regulate straws, the rules will require them to be renewable, certified domestically and industrially compostable, and marine biodegradable.
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The law will go into effect the day it becomes law, giving local governments until January 1, 2027 to update existing straw laws.
The rule does not apply to hospitals or prepackaged beverages.
President Donald Trump took aim at paper straws in February, issuing an executive order banning federal use of paper straws.
Researchers found PFAS chemicals in 27 of 39 different types of straws. A 2023 study found that 90% of paper straw brands tested contained PFAS chemicals. (iStock)
“Plastic straws are being replaced by paper straws, which are often dysfunctional, use chemicals that may pose a risk to human health, are more expensive to produce than plastic straws, and often force users to use more than one straw,” the decree states.
“I’m tired of straws melting in my mouth.”
The order points out that the switch is inefficient — because “paper straws sometimes come individually wrapped in plastic.”
“I’m tired of straws melting in my mouth. You know, it didn’t work,” Trump said in July.
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“We’ve solved a lot of common-sense problems, and they haven’t been easy. You know, there are people who really believe these things.”
In related news, a bill introduced in New Jersey would ban on-site restaurants from providing disposable utensils to customers unless requested.
President Donald Trump banned the use of paper straws in federal buildings. (Fox News Digital)
The bill was introduced in May and revised on December 18.
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Restaurants will be required to offer reusable, washable utensils instead of plastic utensils to customers who dine in.
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Restaurants also will not be allowed to provide condiments to on-site customers.
The bill states that customers with takeout services can receive them if specifically requested.
