Overview

• Donald Trump announced his intention to sign an executive order next week eliminating federal promotion of paper straws in favor of plastic ones.
• The decision reverses policies introduced by Joe Biden, which aimed to phase out single-use plastics in federal operations by 2035.
• Trump criticized paper straws as impractical and labeled Biden's push for them as a 'ridiculous initiative.'
• Environmental advocates argue that plastic straws contribute significantly to ocean pollution and are rarely recyclable.
• Several U.S. states, including California and New York, have already implemented bans on single-use plastic straws in recent years.