Straws might seem trivial, often sparking humor in discussions about plastic versus paper alternatives, but plastic straws have become emblematic of a global pollution crisis in the past decade.
On Monday, former President Donald Trump reignited the controversy by signing an executive order reversing federal efforts to phase out plastic straws. Defending the use of plastic over paper, Trump asserted that paper straws “don’t work” and lack durability. He further stated, “It’s OK” to continue using plastic straws, despite concerns that they contribute to ocean pollution and endanger marine life.
The debate over plastic straws gained widespread attention in 2015 when a video surfaced of a marine biologist extracting a plastic straw from a turtle’s nose, sparking global outrage. This led to a wave of bans, beginning with Vanuatu, a Pacific Island nation, and Seattle in 2018.
The Fate of Plastic Straws
According to the Turtle Island Restoration Network, over 390 million plastic straws are used daily in the United States, typically for no more than 30 minutes before being discarded. These straws often end up littering beaches and waterways, posing a threat to marine animals that may ingest them, mistaking them for food.
Due to their small size, plastic straws are not recyclable and can take at least 200 years to decompose, according to the advocacy group. As they degrade, they break down into microplastics—fragments tinier than a grain of rice—that have been detected in various human body tissues. Although research remains limited, increasing concerns suggest that microplastics in the body might be linked to heart disease, Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other health issues.
Trump’s executive order argued that paper straws contain chemicals that could pose health risks and are more costly to produce than plastic alternatives. A 2023 study from the University of Antwerp found that “forever chemicals” known as PFAS were present in paper, bamboo, glass, and plastic straws but not in stainless steel ones.
Despite the cost argument, Beyond Plastics, an environmental advocacy group, contends that skipping straws altogether is the most economical and sustainable choice.
Judith Enck, a former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regional administrator and current president of Beyond Plastics, expressed concern over the executive order. She encouraged individuals and local governments to push back against the decision by actively reducing their use of plastic straws.
“It’s easy to just kind of almost poke fun of this, ignore it,” Enck remarked on Tuesday. “But this is a moment that we as individuals and state and local policymakers can make a statement that they disagree with this executive order and are committed to using less plastic straws. It’s not that hard to do.”
Across the country, several states and cities have already imposed bans on plastic straws, while some restaurants have opted to stop automatically providing them to customers.
Global Efforts Against Plastic Waste
Under President Joe Biden, the administration had committed to eliminating single-use plastics—including plastic straws—from federal food service operations, events, and packaging by 2027, with a complete phase-out from all federal operations by 2035.
This initiative signaled formal acknowledgment from the federal government of the severity of plastic pollution and the level of response necessary to combat the crisis effectively.
Erin Simon, a plastics and packaging expert at the World Wildlife Fund, emphasized the significance of this effort, stating that it sent a global message: “If we can make change happen at scale, so can you.”
The Biden administration’s pledge came in July, just months before international negotiators convened in South Korea to draft a treaty aimed at addressing plastic pollution on a global scale. While the negotiations did not yield a final agreement last year, discussions are set to resume this year.
Initially, the U.S. under Biden took a position that was perceived as industry-friendly, advocating for individual countries to create their own plastic management plans rather than adopting global regulations. China, the U.S., and Germany dominate the global plastics trade, making their stances particularly influential in shaping international policy.
However, ahead of the South Korea talks, the U.S. revised its stance, voicing support for including provisions in the treaty that would regulate plastic production. More than 100 nations back a robust agreement that not only limits plastic production but also promotes cleanup efforts and enhances recycling systems.
With Trump’s return to the political spotlight, U.S. manufacturers have urged him to remain engaged in negotiations while reverting to the previous industry-focused approach, which emphasized redesigning plastic products, expanding recycling efforts, and promoting reuse rather than outright reduction of plastic production.
The Broader Plastic Pollution Crisis
Plastic straws represent only a fraction of the larger environmental issue posed by single-use plastics. Items such as water bottles, takeout containers, coffee lids, and shopping bags contribute significantly to plastic pollution.
The United Nations reports that over 400 million tons of new plastic are produced annually, with approximately 40% used for packaging.
According to Ocean Conservancy, in 2023 alone, volunteers collected over 61,000 plastic straws and stirrers from polluted beaches and waterways across the United States. However, plastic straws were far from the most prevalent waste—cigarette butts, plastic bottles, bottle caps, and food wrappers were collected in even greater numbers.
Most plastics are derived from fossil fuels, and their production remains closely tied to the oil and gas industry. During the United Nations’ COP28 climate talks in 2023, negotiators reached an agreement emphasizing the global need to transition away from fossil fuels and triple renewable energy use.
As global efforts to curtail fossil fuel consumption intensify, oil and gas companies have increasingly looked to the plastics sector as a potential growth market. Trump has been a strong advocate of the oil and gas industry and continues to receive significant support from it.
While the debate over plastic straws may seem symbolic, it underscores a larger battle over environmental policy, corporate interests, and the future of plastic consumption worldwide.
