UPDATE: Starbucks, Marriott Strike Straws from the Menu: Should the Rest of Us?

UPDATE — July 19, 2018: Marriott International announced that it will stop using plastic straws, saying it would remove them from its more than 6,500 properties by next July. 

McDonald's also committed to phasing out plastic straws from its 970 Australian restaurants by 2020, but has yet to set a global target. The company is beginning a trial of paper straw alternatives.

The story

Following a campaign from activist investors and growing consumer pressure, Starbucks has announced that it will stop offering plastic straws in all of its stores globally by 2020.

Why it matters

It has been estimated that Americans use 500 million plastic straws a day, which are not recyclable. Straws were the fifth most common item found in the Ocean Conservancy’s most recent tally. When straws enter waterways, they can seriously harm marine animals.

The issue has gained significant public attention in the last year. A YouTube video of a plastic straw being removed from the nostril of a sea turtle has been viewed by more than 30 million people. A growing consumer campaign asks food service entities to “Be Straw Free.”

Approximately 1,800 restaurants and institutions have eliminated plastic straws. Starbucks’ home city of Seattle banned plastic straws effective July 2018, and other cities appear poised to follow suit. For instance, Hawaii is considering a bill that would ban the distribution of plastic straws in the state, and California has a bill pending that would make it illegal to provide plastic straws unless they are requested.

In June, the European Union banned single-use plastics, including straws.

The barriers

Starbucks explains some of the barriers it faces to recycling:

“Recycling seems like a simple, straightforward initiative but it’s actually quite challenging. Our customers’ ability to recycle our cups, whether at home, at work, in public spaces or in our stores, is dependent upon multiple factors, including local government policies and access to recycling markets such as paper mills and plastic processors.”

The company goes on to highlight the “patchwork” of recycling infrastructure in many countries, as well as consumers’ tendency to put unrecyclable items in recycling bins, which can severely compromise the overall viability of recycling programs.

No panacea

Axios notes:

“Plastic straws aren't the biggest culprit in plastics pollution, they're just easy to remove. While banning them would reduce pollution overall, it would make a small dent and the world's largest buyer, McDonald's, hasn't announced any planned phase-out.”

What do you think?

Should we make the elimination of plastic straws a policy priority? Should we work to improve recycling infrastructure and education? Should we leave these initiatives to the private sector to undertake? Hit Take Action to tell your reps what you think, then share your thoughts below.

—Sara E. Murphy

(Photo Credit: Max Pixel / Creative Commons)