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Mystery shopper observes environmental and human health risks of single-use plastic alternatives

Our volunteer was a mystery shopper. Source: © Sean Van Putten

Several times it was observed that drinks were still served with an oxo-biodegradable straw. When asked about this, staff members of the cafe answered that customers had previously complained about hygiene concerns of reusable straws. Some other cafes choose single-use alternatives such as paper straws as an alternative to plastic, but these straws often still were partly plastic. The mystery shopper observed the same for packaging materials for takeaway orders, the inner parts of food boxes were often lined with plastic.

In the search for alternatives to SUP, many partnered small businesses opt for using paper straws as an alternative to plastic ones. This is an improvement compared to the conventional plastic straws, but how much better is it really? This article will shed light on effects on the environment and human health associated with single-use plastic (SUP) alternatives as observed during mystery shopper visits.

In order to make sure that all partnered small businesses stay focused on their commitments to avoid SUP waste, PD deploys the help of the mystery shopper who makes his visits unannounced. Additionally, the mystery shopper also analyzes what type of single-use plastic alternatives are used by the partnered businesses and what materials are used for takeaway orders. Of course, reusable alternatives such as stainless steel straws and reusable food containers come out on top, when it comes to sustainability because no waste is created. However, not all small businesses are able to afford such materials nor are they a realistic option for takeaway orders. Hence many small businesses still opt for single-use alternatives. In this article, 3 of these alternatives will be addressed with potential effects on environmental and human health: oxo-biodegradable plastic straws, paper straws and paper food boxes.

First, before addressing the 3 alternatives, we need to talk about microplastics. Plastics can produce small fragments or particles when they are used or they can turn into this after their use upon (bio)degradation. If these small fragments or particles reach a diameter of 5 millimeters or lower, they are called microplastics. These microplastics are all around us. They have been found in the environment from anywhere between the North Pole, South Antarctica and even as high as on Mount Everest. But actually, there is no need to travel as high as Mount Everest to be exposed to microplastics because last year in Jakarta microplastics were found in the air and even in the soil of Ancol Beach. They are also present in agricultural soil, where they change the composition of the soil and affect the growth of the ecosystem. Ullah et al. showed that maize crops exposed to microplastics are only half the size and weight compared to non-exposed maize crops. Microplastics also end up in water, where they can easily be mistaken for food by fish and other marine life. For all marine life, experiments have shown negative health effects caused by microplastics.
 

Now let’s start by addressing oxo-biodegradable plastic straws and their possible effects on the environment. A common misconception is that oxo-biodegradable plastics are recyclable, however this is not the case. Oxo-biodegradation is a process where microorganisms, such as bacteria, break down oxidation products into CO₂ and biomass. In order for oxo-biodegradation to occur several environmental conditions are essential such as suitable temperature, availability of oxygen and exposure to sunlight. Research by Finzi et al. that oxo-biodegradable plastics do not biodegrade in landfills due to lack of oxygen and sunlight. Even in optimal environments, oxo-biodegradation typically takes 12 to 18 months. So what makes oxo-biodegradable plastic straws better than normal plastic straws? The answer is they are not. Especially in Bali where waste is not sorted and most plastic straws end up under a huge pile of waste, where they cannot be degraded as intended.

During the mystery shopper visits, sometimes drinks were served with paper straws as an alternative to plastic straws. Straws made of purely paper can biodegrade within a few weeks in the right environment. However, paper straws become difficult to recycle after getting into contact with a drink. On top of that, manufacturers often add a plastic coating to the inside of paper straws to prevent them from getting soggy in a drink. But what does this do to the recyclability of the paper straws? PFAS is one of the chemicals that is often found in the plastic coating, even in commercially available paper straws advertised as biodegradable as shown by Boisacq et al. PFAS can prolong the biodegradation process to up to 100 years. PFAS is also very hard to separate from paper, bringing down the recyclability of paper straws even more.

Similarly, for food takeaway orders the most commonly observed single-use plastic alternative were paper boxes. These boxes often contain a plastic coating on the inside to make the paper resistant to fat and oily foods. The recyclability of paper boxes after getting into contact with food is already low. It becomes even lower after taking into account the fact that the plastic coating is very hard to separate from the paper box.

We already know we are all exposed to microplastics. Recent research showed the presence of microplastics in human blood. Microplastics are so small that they are easily breathed in through the air or ingested through the diet by humans as these are the main routes of exposure. Cox et al. estimated that an average person is exposed to 74.000 to 121.000 particles per year. It is still hard to say what kind of health effects this exposure to microplastics causes, but the results of experiments are a reason for serious concern.

Producers of plastic add toxic chemicals such as PFAS to the material to make it more durable and water repellent. At the same time, we know that the average person consumes 100 microplastic particles every week through food and drinks. This amounts to around 5 grams per week, which is about a credit card’s worth. Toxicological experiments have shown that exposure to microplastics causes a variety of toxic effects: organ dysfunction, DNA damage, metabolic disorders, problems in development, inflammation and toxicity in the brain and the reproductive system. However, it needs to be mentioned that most of these effects were seen with exposures to high concentrations for a short time. It is not clear yet what long term exposure to relevant concentrations will do in humans.

Plastic-coated paper straws tend to contain PFAS even more so than regular plastic straws, because manufacturers specifically aim to make the straws water repellent. A chemical property of PFAS is that it dissolves very easily in water, which means that there is a high chance for PFAS to go from the straw to the drink while being consumed by customers of the small business.

As mentioned before, PFAS is one of the chemicals that is often present in the plastic coating found in paper-based food packaging often used for takeaway orders. Research shows that more PFAS can go from the coating into the food with higher temperatures, longer direct contact and when the food is fattier. More exposure to PFAS can lead to increased chances of 3 forms of cancer, thyroid disease, liver damage, increased cholesterol and inflammatory bowel disease. Additionally, Cruz et al. showed that this type of food packaging can degrade into microplastics, especially under high temperatures. People that often eat takeaway can be exposed to up to 200 microplastic particles per week alone, that is equal in weight to 2 credit cards. So that is double the amount of the average person. This is concerning especially knowing the toxic health effects of microplastics

When taking into consideration the environmental and human health risks associated with the 3 mentioned alternatives to single-use plastic as observed during the mystery shopper visits, it becomes clear that they are not optimal alternatives. To prevent any environmental risks, it is better to use reusable alternatives such as stainless steel straws. Akkar Juice Bar is a great example of this, as they use stainless steel straws for dine-in and rice straws for takeaway orders. Other straw alternatives include purely paper straws as was observed at Genius Cafe. For food takeaway orders, feasible and better alternatives are harder to find. Perhaps small businesses can offer their customers special discounts, if they bring their own reusable drink and food containers.

In the search for alternatives to single-use plastic, it remains important to stay critical of the actual material that is used as a substitute. Even though the main material might not be plastic, it is recommended that the inside is not lined with plastic either to avoid the environmental and health risks.

Writer: Sean van Putten

Writer profile: I am Sean, a graduated Master student in Toxicology and Environmental Health at Utrecht University. Currently, I’m doing an internship at PlastikDetox. I love spending my free time doing martial arts.