Metal straws have become a replacement for plastic straws in the lives of many consumers. But are they safe? In an age where people are becoming more “green conscious,” it’s become apparent that plastic not only takes a long time to decompose (up to 500 years), but it also is harmful to the environment and the plethora of species living there. As such, people are looking for eco-friendly alternatives such as bamboo straws or metal straws. Not only are they reusable, but it’s easier on the environment. But how safe are metal straws?
In an article by US97, a woman was accidentally killed in an accident with a metal straw. Elena Struthers-Gardner collapsed in her kitchen while carrying a glass jar with a metal straw in it. The straw reportedly pierced her left eye and punctured her brain. Her wife found her and immediately called emergency services, but Elena died from her injuries the next day.
While reusable metal straws are more environmentally friendly, there are still several pros and cons to using these stainless steel replacements.
Pros of Metal Straws
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Metal straws are easy to clean.
Cleaning is easy – most of them come with a cleaning brush, or you can toss it into the dishwasher!
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They are eco-friendly.
Stainless steel straws are reusable and, when comes the time to toss that hunk-of-metal away, it can be recycled and made into other things.
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They are durable.
Because many of them are made from stainless steel, this means they do not corrode easily (especially handy if you drink a lot of acidic drinks).
Cons of Metal Straws
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They aren’t good for hot drinks.
If you stick your metal straw in a hot drink, you can burn yourself if you aren’t careful. Metal is a great conductor of heat. But, to be honest, how often do you use straws for hot drinks??
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They are more expensive.
Stainless steel straws usually cost around $2 to $3 a piece. While they do eventually pay for themselves, they aren’t good for people who have a tendency of misplacing things.
Who Shouldn’t Use Metal Straws?
While they may seem like a reasonable replacement for plastic straws, there are groups of people who won’t benefit from using them. For example, bar and restaurant owners may have them stolen out of their establishments. Another group of people would be those who are around small children. In these cases, opting for paper straws or bamboo straws may be better options.
About Aquasani in Springfield, Mo.
Aquasani is an authorized dealer for Rainsoft, WaterLogic, & JavaSmart. Based in Springfield, Mo., Aquasani services areas in the Ozarks including Jefferson City, Springfield, Mo., Ozark, Nixa, Rogersville, Republic, Joplin, Branson and even Harrison, Arkansas, and Bentonville. In essence, we service Mid-Missouri, Southwest Missouri, and Northwest Arkansas, and have been servicing these areas since 2004. We offer home water softener systems, drinking water filtration systems, whole house air cleaner systems, problem-solving water filtration systems and we also offer a coffee service to businesses in these above-mentioned areas as well.
The coffee service business is simple: an office purchases coffee from us, and we provide the coffee maker/dispenser (including Keurig coffee makers), deliver the coffee to the office as often as needed, and we even clean the coffee makers monthly.
We specialize in water filtration and purification for both commercial businesses and residential homes. If that isn’t enough, we provide free trials for our coffee and water cooler services. If you would like a free estimate, schedule an appointment with us by calling (417) 881-4000 or fill out the form below and one of our Aquasani teammates will sort you out!
