USA | Single-use plastic straws will make a return under a new executive order signed by President Donald Trump.
US President Donald Trump has declared that plastic straws are back.
President Trump signed the new executive order that has directed the federal government to return to using plastic straws.
“We’re going back to plastic straws. Paper straws don’t work,” the President said.
This announcement was made following former President Joe Biden’s goal to phase out the government’s use of single-use plastics.
The Biden White House said that an increase in plastic production and waste had been littering oceans, poisoning the air of communities near production facilities and threatening public health.
“The Interior Department has an obligation to play a leading role in reducing the impact of plastic waste on our ecosystems and our climate. As the steward of the nation’s public lands, and as the agency responsible for the conservation and management of fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats, we are uniquely positioned to do better for our Earth,” said then-Interior Secretary Deb Harland.
“Our Department-wide efforts are inspiring bold action to phase out single-use plastic products as we seek to protect our natural environment and the surrounding communities.”
Lisa Ramsden, Greenpeace USA’s Senior Plastics Campaigner, said these plastics contain more than 16,000 chemicals, with over 3,200 known to cause cancer, disrupt hormones, contribute to obesity, or trigger early puberty in children.
“These chemicals have also been linked to reproductive health problems and declining fertility. So while the administration feigns concerns for Americans’ health and the declining birth rate, policies like this are exacerbating a public health crisis that drains over USD $250 billion from our economy annually,” said Ramsden.
President Trump has long campaigned for the return of plastic straws. During his first re-election campaign in 2019, packets of Trump-branded plastic straws were sold for USD $15 each.
The Biden plan to phase out single-use plastics, including plastic straws, was set to come into effect in 2027 for food service operations, events and packaging.
The President took to his Truth Social platform to declare the move as one of his key focus areas.
“Enjoy your next drink without a straw that disgustingly dissolves in your mouth!”
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