How Long Does It Take for Straws to Decompose? 2025 Facts

A plastic straw takes roughly 200 years to decompose in a landfill. A paper straw breaks down in about 2 to 6 weeks under the right conditions. These are the two most common answers, but the real timeline depends heavily on the material and the environment the straw ends up in.

Decomposition Timeline by Material

Every straw material breaks down at a different rate. The key difference is whether the material is biobased (plant matter) or synthetic (petroleum-based plastic).

Plastic Straws (Polypropylene)

Standard plastic straws are made from polypropylene, a type of plastic that does not biodegrade. Instead, it photodegrades. Sunlight breaks the plastic into smaller and smaller pieces, known as microplastics, but the material never truly disappears. In a landfill, where sunlight and oxygen are scarce, a plastic straw can persist for centuries.

• Landfill: 200 years or more. Landfills are designed to limit air and moisture, which slows decomposition.
• Ocean or open environment: Decades to centuries. UV light helps break it down into microplastics, but the fragments remain in the ecosystem.

Paper Straws

Paper straws are made from cellulose, a natural polymer. They break down quickly when exposed to moisture and microorganisms. However, they need the right conditions. A paper straw left on a dry sidewalk will last much longer than one buried in damp soil.

• Compost or wet soil: 2 to 6 weeks.
• Landfill: Several months. Landfills are dry and anaerobic, so paper decomposes slower than it would in a backyard compost bin.
• Ocean: 2 to 6 months. Saltwater and wave action help break the fibers apart.

Other Materials

• Bamboo straws: Bamboo is a natural grass. A bamboo straw can decompose in 4 to 6 months in a compost environment. It is fully biodegradable and does not leave microplastics.
• Stainless steel or glass straws: These materials do not decompose. They can be recycled, but they will not break down naturally.
• PLA (polylactic acid) straws: PLA is a bioplastic made from corn or sugarcane. It is often labeled “compostable.” In a commercial composting facility (high heat, controlled moisture), PLA straws break down in about 3 to 6 months. In a landfill or the ocean, they behave like regular plastic and can last for decades.

How Disposal Conditions Change the Timeline

The environment the straw lands in is the biggest factor in how fast it breaks down.

Landfills

Landfills are designed to keep waste dry and compressed. This prevents air and water from reaching the waste, which stops most biological decomposition. A paper straw in a landfill may take months to break down because the bacteria that eat cellulose need moisture. A plastic straw in a landfill will likely never break down.

Composting Facilities

Commercial composting facilities maintain high temperatures (around 140°F) and regular aeration. Paper and bamboo straws break down quickly here. PLA straws require these conditions to break down at all. Home compost piles are cooler and less consistent, so paper straws may take longer, and PLA straws may not break down completely.

The Ocean

In the ocean, saltwater and UV light accelerate the breakdown of paper straws. Plastic straws break into smaller pieces but never disappear. These microplastics are a concern because they can be eaten by marine life and enter the food chain.

Key Takeaways

• Plastic straws take about 200 years to decompose in a landfill and never fully biodegrade; they break into microplastics.
• Paper straws decompose in 2 to 6 weeks in a compost or wet soil environment, but slower in a landfill.
• Bamboo straws decompose in 4 to 6 months in compost.
• PLA (bioplastic) straws require commercial composting facilities to break down; in landfills or oceans, they act like regular plastic.
• Stainless steel and glass straws do not decompose at all.
• Disposal conditions matter more than the material itself. A straw in a landfill will last much longer than one in a compost pile or ocean.