‘Straws are just the beginning’: Trump signs order bringing back plastic straws, says paper ones ‘explode’
World | Trending | White House staff secretary Will Scharf said that paper straws have cost the government and private industry “an absolute tonne of money and left consumers all over the country wildly dissatisfied with their straws.”
Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday (Feb 10) to bring back plastic straws, ending the use of paper straws.
The US president has ordered federal agencies and departments to stop purchasing paper straws and make sure they aren’t offered in their buildings.
Paper straws ‘don't work’
“It’s a ridiculous situation. We’re going back to plastic straws,” Trump told reporters at the White House as he signed the order. He added that paper straws “don’t work”, saying “I’ve had them many times, and on occasion, they break, they explode.”
The order rolls back the policy to phase out the use of all single-use plastic products by 2032 put in place under former president Joe Biden’s administration.
)
Anti-immigration riots erupt in Belfast after Sudanese asylum seeker charged in stabbing: What's happening? | VIDEO
)
Peddi Row: Leaked chats and make-up artist reveal Janhvi Kapoor objected to oversexualized shots, but was ignored
)
Indian-origin couple, terminally-ill son die after falling from London high rise, suicide suspected: Who are they
)
Indians on H-1B visas exit Texas and its housing boom is dying. Other states could see similar decline
)
'Act of aggression': Pakistan launches deadly strikes on Afghanistan, kills at least 11 children; Taliban responds
)
Trump wants new PM for Israel? US president calls Netanyahu 'wartime PM', but does not endorse him
)
Meta AI could wipe out entire Instagram to ZERO users in coming months! Here's why
)
Iran shot our Apache helicopter near Hormuz, says Trump, promises ‘US will respond to attack’
)
US strikes Iran as Trump vows 'very powerful' response over Apache helicopter downing
)
Trump’s ‘Naruto’ video sparks backlash and 20,000 file online petition in Japan
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why fighter jets are so loud compared to normal planes
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Do dark-coloured cars burn more fuel for AC in summer?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Beyond Strait of Hormuz: How the Oman-Gujarat deep-sea pipeline could transform India's energy imports
)
US completes 'self-defense strikes' on Iran; IRGC retaliates with attack on Gulf bases
)
Old praise, new problems: Cockroach Janta Party spokesperson Saurav Das's 9-year-old tweet faces scrutiny
)
NASA names four astronauts as crew members of Artemis III mission ahead of moon landing
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Is it logically smarter to buy an electric car right now just to avoid fuel costs?
)
‘Like criminals’: FIFA, US face backlash after Senegal and Uzbekistan players undergo intense security checks
)
'Erika told Usha between sobs...': JD Vance reportedly reveals what convinced his wife for fourth child
)
12 years of Modi govt: How India became $4 trillion economy and set its sights on $5 tillion
)
EU proposes new Russia sanctions, targets firms in India, China and UAE
)
PM Modi and President Trump could meet next week on the sidelines of G7 Summit
)
Ex-Taliban commander who kidnapped journalist, killed US troops sentenced to 42 years in prison
)
Veteran Tamil filmmaker-actor Bharathiraja passes away at 84
)
'That bump glow': Fans gush as Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh are spotted at their new Bandra home
)
Scientists discover vast geological structure hidden beneath Antarctica's ice
)
CID exposes Rs 2,400-crore ponzi scheme in Karnataka; Over 40,00 investors affected in fraud case
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Messi vs Ronaldo in FIFA World Cup: Who has performed better?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
James Bond actors over the years: Fame, dramatic exits And life after 007
)
Russia-Ukraine War | Ukraine: Russia Fired 166 Drones & 2 Missiles in Overnight Barrage
)
'Leave our region if you want to be safe': Iran vows 'heavy response' after US strikes
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the AIM-9 is a legendary fighter jet missile
)
US Navy's secret weapon? WION Decodes 'sea drones' used by America in first-of-its-kind rescue mission near Iran
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Master of manoeuvring: This jet has never lost a dogfight?
)
Araghchi and Ghalibaf strike defiant tone after Trump’s ‘response to Apache downing’ vow
“The irrational campaign against plastic straws has forced Americans to use nonfunctional paper straws. This ends under President Trump,” the White House said in a statement.
“Paper straws are more expensive than plastic straws,” it added. “Paper straws are not the eco-friendly alternative they claim to be – studies have shown that producing paper straws can have a larger carbon footprint and require more water than plastic straws. Paper straws often come individually wrapped in plastic, undermining the environmental argument for their use.”
Trump brushes aside environmental concerns
Plastic straws have been considered harmful to the oceans and marine life. However, the president said that he thinks “it’s OK” to continue using plastic straws. “I don’t think that plastic is going to affect the shark very much as they’re ... munching their way through the ocean,” he said at a White House on Monday (Feb 10).
White House staff secretary Will Scharf said that paper straws have cost the government and private industry “an absolute tonne of money and left consumers all over the country wildly dissatisfied with their straws.”
Also read | Trump warns Hamas 'all hell' will break loose unless Israeli hostages are released on Feb 15
"It really is something that affects ordinary Americans in their everyday lives," Scharf said.
As per the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), approximately 85 per cent of single-use plastic products for food and beverage containers end up in landfills. According to a study by the World Wildlife Fund, at least 100,000 marine animals die due to plastic pollution every year.
Apart from marine life, microplastics are also found in human bodies, water, and even air, which significantly impact health.
‘Back to Plastic’
The plastic manufacturing industry is praising the president’s decision, according to The Guardian report.
Watch | Trump signs new tariff orders, to impose 25% tariffs on steel, aluminium imports
“Straws are just the beginning,” president and CEO of the Plastics Industry Association Matt Seaholm said in a statement. “‘Back to Plastic’ is a movement we should all get behind.”
(With inputs from agencies)
