Are Plastic Straws Back?

PLASTIC STRAWS BETTER THAN PAPER? New Study Could Stir Up a Big Debate at Pinellas Beach Bars! 🍹🌴

Remember when we were told paper straws were going to save the planet? Well, this just got interesting. Especially here in Pinellas County, where some cities actually banned plastic straws.

We've all been there. You're sitting at your favorite beach bar, sipping a frozen cocktail, and halfway through your drink, your paper straw has turned into a soggy piece of cardboard.

All in the name of saving the environment, right?

Well, a new government-commissioned study out of South Korea is raising some pretty interesting questions about whether paper straws are actually better for the environment.

And it might just reignite a debate that's already made its way through St. Petersburg City Hall.

Wait… Plastic Straws Were Better?

Researchers compared conventional plastic, paper, biodegradable plastic, and plant-based plastic straws across 16 environmental impact categories, looking at everything from manufacturing to disposal.

Here's what they found:

Conventional plastic straws had the lowest environmental impact in 10 of the 16 categories.

Paper straws scored 6.33 times higher on a modeled measure of carcinogenic environmental impact.

Paper straws had 2.04 times the acidification impact of conventional plastic.

Plant-based polyethylene straws performed even worse in several categories.

Before anybody panics about their last margarita, the cancer-related measurement does NOT mean drinking through a paper straw makes you six times more likely to get cancer. It measures potential environmental impacts across a straw's entire life cycle.

And plastic still presents serious concerns involving marine pollution, wildlife, and microplastics.

But the findings certainly challenge the idea that swapping plastic for paper is automatically the environmentally friendly choice.

Here's Where Pinellas County Gets Interesting…

Not every Pinellas community plays by the same straw rules.

ST. PETERSBURG: PLASTIC STRAWS BANNED

St. Pete passed its single-use plastic straw ban in 2018, with the prohibition taking effect in 2020.

Food service businesses generally cannot distribute conventional plastic straws, and permitted disposable alternatives are provided upon request.

The city even revisited the issue in March 2025, when a council member proposed reconsidering the ban. The council declined to reverse course.

CLEARWATER AND OTHER BEACH COMMUNITIES: A DIFFERENT APPROACH

Clearwater and many other Pinellas communities haven't adopted the same citywide plastic straw prohibition.

That means plenty of restaurants and waterfront bars have more flexibility in what they serve, although many voluntarily offer paper or other alternatives.

So you might get a paper straw at one beach bar and a traditional plastic straw at another.

PINELLAS COUNTY PARKS: PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT

Pinellas County also maintains environmental protections on county-managed parkland, including Fort De Soto.

Balloons, confetti, piñatas, and several other items are prohibited to help protect natural areas and wildlife.

Those rules are separate from the restaurant straw debate, but they underscore how seriously our community takes protecting its beaches and waterways.

And Florida Already Tried to Revisit the Straw Rules!

Here's another twist.

Earlier in 2026, Florida lawmakers introduced legislation that would have required local governments regulating straws to permit alternatives beyond paper.

The proposals attracted attention in St. Petersburg, where restaurants had already spent years adjusting to the city's restrictions.

But the legislation died in committee in March.

So, for now, the existing local rules remain the important consideration for businesses.

What Will Our Beach Bars Do Now?

From Clearwater Beach to John's Pass, Treasure Island, Indian Rocks Beach, and St. Pete Beach, our waterfront bars and restaurants serve an awful lot of cold drinks.

And we suspect more than a few bartenders have heard customers complain about paper straws falling apart.

Will this new research convince more restaurants to reconsider their straw choices?

Could St. Petersburg eventually revisit its restrictions?

Or will the answer be something completely different?

Interestingly, researchers recommended that businesses stop automatically providing disposable straws of ANY material and offer them only when requested.

That might be one compromise worth discussing.

Because here's the thing: We love our beaches. We want to protect our Gulf waters and marine life. But we also want to finish a frozen cocktail without the straw dissolving before the ice does.

PINELLAS, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! 🍹

Should plastic straws make a comeback? Are paper straws worth the inconvenience? Or should bars only hand out straws when customers ask?

And perhaps most importantly…

WHICH PINELLAS BEACH BAR HAS ACTUALLY FIGURED OUT THE PERFECT STRAW?

Tag your favorite waterfront bar, restaurant, or bartender. We'd love to hear what the people serving the drinks think, too!

Sources: The Korea Herald, October 2026; City of St. Petersburg straw ordinance; Pinellas County Parks regulations; Florida Legislature, HB 865 (2026).

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