PFAS in Paper Straws, Why the Coated Ones Grade Worst

Paper straws replaced plastic ones to solve an environmental problem, and in doing so they created a chemical question, because paper does not survive a drink for long without help. In our data that help is exactly what separates the category. Straws described as plain or uncoated paper grade 70 out of 100. Straws described as having a water-resistant or moisture barrier coating, with the composition not stated, grade 25.

Nothing in this category reaches our Excellent band. The ceiling is 70, because not one straw maker here publishes a PFAS statement or test data, so even the best entries rest on an absent coating description rather than a positive disclosure. Below we break down the graded straws so you can see where each lands and why.

Summary comparison table

Product	PFAS grade	Verdict
Aardvark Paper Drinking Straws, 600 Pieces	Good, 70/100	Unbleached or chlorine-free certified paper
Hoffmaster Jumbo Aardvark Paper Straws	Good, 70/100	Paper with untreated or minimal processing described
Aardvark Paper Straws	Good, 70/100	Paper, uncoated or standard coating
World Centric Kraft Paper Straws	Good, 70/100	Kraft paper, uncoated or minimally treated
Who Gives A Crap Durable Kraft Paper Straws	Good, 70/100	Kraft paper, uncoated or water-based coating
Yocup Giant Striped Unwrapped Paper Straw	Good, 70/100	Paper, unwrapped and uncoated
Total Home Earth Essentials Compostable Paper Straws	Good, 70/100	Compostable paper with no coating described
Design Imports Paper Straws, Set of 100	Good, 70/100	Paper, uncoated or minimal coating
Time To Party Striped Paper Straws	Good, 70/100	Paper, uncoated or water-based coating
CVS Time To Party Striped Paper Straws	Good, 70/100	No known coating disclosed
Blue Sky Paper Straws	Poor, 25/100	Water-resistant coating, composition not given
Comfy Package Paper Drinking Straws	Poor, 25/100	Moisture and grease barrier coating, unspecified
Comfy Package Jumbo Paper Smoothie Straws	Poor, 25/100	Water-resistance coating, composition not confirmed
3000 Pack Wrapped Disposable Paper Drinking Straws	Poor, 25/100	Water-resistant coating, type unspecified
Eco Friendly Wrapped Paper Straws, 200 Pack	Poor, 25/100	Food-safe coating with no chemistry named

How we graded these straws

Every grade in this article is a model-based estimate built from publicly available materials disclosures, manufacturing descriptions and brand documentation, not a lab test performed by our team. A high score means lower concern based on reviewed sources, never PFAS-free and never safe. No straw in this category carried published independent lab data and none of these makers publishes a PFAS statement, which is why the ceiling here is 70 rather than higher. The recorded concerns were PFAS in a water-resistant coating, pulp fiber shedding and microparticles, and compostability claims made without certification. You can compare any specific straw using our PFAS product finder.

Why a straw is a different case from other paper products

A straw sits in a drink and is in the mouth for the whole time it is used, which makes the barrier coating a more direct question than it is for a wrapper that touches food briefly. That is not a claim that any straw here is harmful, and we have no test data on any of them. It is a reason the disclosure gap in this category matters more than the same gap would elsewhere.

The Good tier, 70 out of 100

Ten straws share the top grade, and they share the absence of a described barrier rather than any positive claim.

The three Aardvark listings are the most specifically described in the category, with one recorded as unbleached or chlorine-free certified paper and another as untreated or minimally processed. Pros include the clearest materials language here and a format range from jumbo to standard. Cons include that chlorine-free certification addresses bleaching rather than coatings, and Aardvark publishes no PFAS statement we could record.

The Who Gives A Crap Durable Kraft Paper Straws and World Centric Kraft Paper Straws are kraft paper described as uncoated or carrying a water-based coating. Pros include that where a coating is mentioned it is named as water-based rather than left blank. Cons include the hedge itself, since uncoated and water-based-coating are two different products and the listing does not settle which you are buying.

The Poor tier, 25 out of 100

Five straws sit at the bottom and every one is described as having a barrier coating whose composition is not stated. Comfy Package Paper Drinking Straws is recorded with a moisture and grease barrier coating, and the Jumbo Smoothie version with a water-resistance coating that is not confirmed. Blue Sky Paper Straws and the 3000 Pack Wrapped Disposable straws carry water-resistant coatings with no type given.

The Eco Friendly Wrapped Paper Straws deserve a separate mention because the product is branded as eco friendly and its coating is described only as food-safe. Food-safe is a regulatory status, not a composition, and it tells you nothing about whether a coating is fluorinated. There are no pros to highlight from a PFAS grading standpoint across this tier. The con is the same in every case.

What to avoid

• Straws sold on durability, soggy-resistance or a moisture barrier where the coating is not named. That is all five products in the bottom tier.
• Reading food-safe as a composition. It describes regulatory status and says nothing about whether a coating contains fluorinated compounds.
• Reading compostable as uncoated. One of the recorded concerns in this category is compostability claimed without certification.
• Expecting a top grade anywhere here. The ceiling is 70 because no maker in this category publishes a PFAS statement or test data.

If you would rather avoid the question entirely, a reusable straw removes the disposable coating issue, and our portable water bottles and insulated drinkware categories cover related drink products with their own grading. The PFAS hazard page explains why grease and water-resistant coatings on paper attract scrutiny.

Our pick

Based on available materials and data, the Aardvark Paper Drinking Straws are our top pick at 70 out of 100, since their materials description is the most specific in the category and no barrier coating is described. The Yocup Giant Striped Unwrapped Paper Straw carries the same grade if you need a wider bore. Be clear-eyed about the trade-off though, because an uncoated paper straw is the one that goes soft, and the straws that hold up longest in a drink are the ones carrying the coatings we cannot resolve. These are estimates built from disclosed materials, not laboratory proof, and no product here is being called PFAS-free or safe by us.

FAQ

Are paper straws worse than plastic ones for PFAS?

Our data covers paper straws only and cannot make that comparison. What it shows is that within paper straws, the ones described with an unnamed water-resistant or moisture barrier coating grade 25 out of 100 while those with no coating described grade 70. That is an assessment of disclosure rather than a test of either material.

Why does no paper straw grade above 70?

Because none of these makers publishes a PFAS statement, a certification or test data. A grade of 70 reflects the absence of a described coating, which is as far as silence can carry a product in our model. A higher band needs positive disclosure that this category does not currently provide.

Does a straw that stays firm longer mean more coating?

Our data does not test performance, so we cannot claim that directly. What we can say is that the straws described with moisture and grease barrier coatings are the ones marketed on durability, and coatings exist in this category precisely because uncoated paper softens in liquid.

Should I be worried about health effects from a lower-graded straw?

Any discussion of PFAS and health in our guides describes association, not proven causation, and grades measure estimated chemical concern based on materials and disclosure, not a medical risk assessment for any individual. If you want to reduce potential exposure, a reusable straw avoids the disposable coating question, and you can cross-reference other products using our PFAS product finder.