U.K. mulls plan to ban plastic straws

Britain’s government wants to take action to ban plastic straws, drink stirrers and cotton buds — and is urging other Commonwealth nations to follow suit. Prime Minister Theresa May said Thursday that “plastic waste is one of the greatest environmental challenges facing the world.” She told Commonwealth leaders meeting in London Thursday that protecting the ocean environment is “central to our agenda,” and urged the 53 member nations to sign up to the newly formed Commonwealth Clean Oceans Alliance. Officials say banning plastic straws in Britain would mean that billions of discarded plastic straws would no longer pollute oceans each year.