11:41 am - February 23, 2025
The Straw Debate: A Battle Between Plastic, Paper, and the Environment
The Scale of Straw Use in the United States
Half a billion straws are used in the United States every single day, according to a widely-cited estimate. While this figure may not be scientifically precise, it underscores the sheer volume of straw consumption in the country. Among the largest consumers of straws is the federal government, which purchases more straws than any other group in the U.S. These straws are used in national parks, federal buildings, and even embassies. The federal government’s reliance on straws highlights the challenges of addressing plastic waste at a national scale.
Trump’s Reversal on Single-Use Plastics in Federal Buildings
In a recent move, President Donald Trump rolled back a Biden administration environmental initiative that had phased out single-use plastics, including straws, in federal buildings. The Biden policy had promoted the use of paper straws as an alternative, but Trump argued that paper straws are impractical. “They don’t work. They break. They explode if something’s hot. They don’t last very long, like a matter of minutes, sometimes a matter of seconds. It’s a ridiculous situation,” Trump remarked from the Oval Office. He signed an executive order directing federal agencies to stop providing paper straws in their buildings, effectively reopening the door to plastic straws in federal facilities.
Public Opinion and the Straw Debate
While some Americans, including critics like Jon Stewart, agree with Trump’s criticism of paper straws, others in the straw industry argue that the debate over paper versus plastic is outdated. Ken Jacobus, CEO of Good Start Packaging, an eco-friendly company that produces compostable packaging, criticized the executive order for narrowing the conversation to just paper and plastic. “What’s disappointing about the executive order is that it makes paper straws kind of a red herring to get consumers to believe that our only choices are paper and plastic when it comes to straws, when the industry has already moved way past that,” Jacobus said.
Beyond Paper and Plastic: Innovative Solutions
Jacobus and his company are part of a growing movement to develop sustainable alternatives to traditional straws. Good Start Packaging produces straws made from canola oil that can biodegrade both on land and in the ocean. These innovative solutions aim to address the environmental concerns associated with plastic waste while offering a more durable and functional alternative to paper straws. However, such options are not yet widely adopted, and their higher cost poses a barrier to widespread use.
The Environmental and Economic Implications of Straw Use
The debate over straws is part of a larger conversation about plastic waste and its impact on the environment. While plastic straws are cheaper, with costs under two cents per unit, they contribute to the staggering amount of plastic waste that ends up in landfills and oceans. Less than 10% of plastic is recycled, and the rest often ends up in landfills, which are rapidly filling up. “We’re having problems finding landfill space for all this stuff,” Jacobus noted. “It’s actually becoming an economic imperative.”
The Way Forward: Balancing Functionality and Sustainability
Despite the challenges, experts agree that the best solution for the environment is reusable straws. However, reusable straws are not always practical for large institutions like hospitals, museums, and national parks, which rely on disposable options. Advocates like Jackie Nuñez, who founded the Last Plastic Straw campaign, emphasize the need for safer, more sustainable disposable alternatives. While Trump’s executive order may have reopened the door to plastic straws, it also highlights the need for a broader conversation about reducing single-use plastics altogether. As Jacobus put it, “No one cares about straws. That ship has sailed.” The real focus should be on addressing the broader issue of plastic waste and its impact on the planet.