How to Dispose of Drinking Straws
- 1Plastic drinking straws are too small and light to be mechanically sorted at recycling plants, and paper straws contain waterproof polymer coatings and beverage contamination; both types must be discarded in standard municipal trash bags.
- 21. Disposable plastic straws: Small lightweight polymers fall through sorting screens and jam automated machinery; discard in standard municipal trash bags (Jongnyangje).
- 32. Paper drinking straws: Impregnated with waterproof barrier films and stained with beverage liquids; cannot be recycled with paper and must go to general trash.
- ✓3. Biodegradable PLA straws: Contaminates conventional PET/PP recycling streams and lacks municipal industrial composting; discard in volume-rate trash bags.
How to Dispose (5 Steps)
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1. Disposable plastic straws: Small lightweight polymers fall through sorting screens and jam automated machinery; discard in standard municipal trash bags (Jongnyangje).
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2. Paper drinking straws: Impregnated with waterproof barrier films and stained with beverage liquids; cannot be recycled with paper and must go to general trash.
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3. Biodegradable PLA straws: Contaminates conventional PET/PP recycling streams and lacks municipal industrial composting; discard in volume-rate trash bags.
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4. Reusable straw hygiene: Clean stainless steel, borosilicate glass, and food-grade silicone straws using a dedicated narrow nylon wire brush for zero-waste longevity.
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5. Disposal of worn reusable straws: Stainless straws go into scrap metal/cans, glass straws into non-combustible/wrapped trash, and silicone straws into general waste bags.
Real-World Examples
Takeout iced beverage plastic straws (PP/PS): Standard municipal volume-rate trash bag
Eco-friendly paper straws / coffee ground composite straws: Standard general household trash bag
Juice box & milk carton attached bendable mini straws: Discard wrapper and straw in general trash bag
Reusable tumbler stainless steel straws: Discard in scrap metal & can recycling bin
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Why can plastic drinking straws not be recycled in plastic recycling bins in Korea?
A. Although molded from polypropylene (PP) or polystyrene (PS), single straws are too slender and lightweight (<15cm, ~0.5g) to be separated by industrial trommel screens or optical sorters. They fall between conveyor gaps or jam machinery gears. Because manual recovery is economically impossible, municipalities mandate disposal in volume-rate trash bags.
Q. Can used paper straws be recycled with paper cardboard and newspapers?
A. No. Paper straws are treated with waterproof resin coatings or plastic barrier films to withstand liquid submersion without dissolving. These water-resistant coatings prevent paper fibers from pulping in recycling hydrapulpers. Liquid stains and food contaminants also ruin paper batches, requiring disposal in general trash.
Q. Do biodegradable PLA cornstarch straws decompose in home gardens or food waste bins?
A. No. Polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastics only biodegrade under specialized industrial composting conditions maintained above 58°C with specific aerobic bacteria. They will not decompose in backyard compost or domestic food waste digesters. Without a dedicated municipal PLA infrastructure, they must be discarded in general waste bags for incineration.