Brilio.net - The increasing amount of plastic waste has made many people now start to switch to more durable and environmentally friendly items. The use of straws is one of them. As time goes by, most people start to use straws that can be reused, such as glass straws.
Because, glass straws have a longer durability than plastic. In addition, glass straws can usually withstand extreme drink temperatures, both cold and hot. Therefore, glass straws are often relied on to enjoy drinks in glasses.
But did you know that using glass straws also has its own risks? A woman named Ani once talked about this through her TikTok account @itsanidavtyan. In one of the videos she uploaded, she admitted that there are side effects of using glass straws that are often considered trivial and ignored by many people.
"Sometimes I like to see people making videos, then putting their straws in the glass and starting to chat. They just put the straws in the glass which is also made of glass while tapping it," said Ani as quoted by BrilioFood from TikTok @itsanidavtyan on Wednesday (11/12).
photo: TikTok/@itsanidavtyan
From this condition, Ani then emphasized that people should be more careful when using glass straws. Especially if the glass is also made of glass. Because glass straws that are pressed or shaken continuously have the potential to crack. This then causes glass shards which then mix with the drink.
photo: TikTok/@itsanidavtyan
Then without realizing it, the glass shards will enter the mouth along with the drink being sucked. Therefore, Ani emphasized to always be careful when drinking through a glass straw. But not only Ani who told this, a number of netizens who watched also agreed and even shared similar experiences when using glass straws.
"This happened to me and I drank the broken glass," said TikTok user @pengguna_281.330.8004.
"That's why I stopped using glass straws and now use compostable straws because I'm afraid of glass splinters," said TikTok user @firefoxmozilla.
"Same thing with glass containers, mine broke and I didn't realize it. I found the shards of glass while I was eating," wrote TikTok account @_fabianarojas.
photo: TikTok/@itsanidavtyan
According to library.fiveable.me, the use of glass straws poses a significant safety risk because glass shards can potentially get mixed into drinks if the straw cracks or breaks. If a glass straw cracks, small shards of glass can break off and contaminate the drink. These shards are small and sharp, so they can cause serious injuries if swallowed, such as injuries to the mouth, throat, esophagus, and digestive tract.
Although basically, glass straws are usually made of a type of glass that is quite strong and durable. Reported from dailydot.com, glass straws are made of borosilicate glass which is heat resistant. However, this type of glass straw can still be damaged. Especially if the glass is exposed to extreme heat, such as boiling water because it can cause the straw to crack.
In addition to boiling water, there are also other types of drinks that are less suitable for drinking with glass straws. In this case, carbonated drinks or soda drinks are one of them. The pressure from these drinks can cause glass straws to break if the material is not thick enough.