12.5% of drinking straws contain lead: CF

Orange, yellow and green-colored straws are more likely to contain lead, which can cause cancer after long-term use, said CF President, Hsieh Tien-jen (謝天任).

He said that all ten straws contained traces of lead exceeding the regulated level of 100ppm. Nine were yellow, whilst the 10th was green.

The contaminated products are available at breakfast shops include JSP (呷尚寶) and Mr. Burger in Taipei, and Hong Ya (弘爺漢堡), Yonghe King (永和豆漿), Laya Burger (拉亞漢堡) and Hei Tang-wu (黑糖屋) in Taichung.

If retailers do not destroy these lead-contaminated straws, they could face penalties of between NT$30,000 and NT$150,000, warned Hsieh.

Lead can enter the human body through the skin, mouth and nose, said Hsieh, adding that long-term exposure can cause lead poisoning, anemia, abdominal pain and Acute Renal Failure. In children, lead consumption can cause learning disabilities and neuro-cognitive problems.

According to Professor Lo Shang-lien from the Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering at the National Taiwan University, there should not be a direct relationship between the color of straws and the level of lead contamination. He added that lead adds a smoother and brighter surface to plastic materials.

Consumers can reduce lead consumption by refraining from using plastic straws to sip hot drinks, said Lo.

Consumers can also increase intakes of iron and calcium — both of which protect against lead poisoning, according Consumer Reports.

The 80 samples were collected from breakfast shops and night markets throughout Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung.

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