Starbucks bans plastic straws

STARBUCKS has vowed to phase out the one billion single-use plastic straws it gives customers each year.

The world’s biggest coffee chain said it would stop using them at all its 28,000 outlets by 2020, but will increase the use of recyclable plastic lids on its drinks. Customers in the US will be the first to see these changes this autumn, followed by countries including Britain.

It comes ahead of a proposed ban on plastic straws in the UK next year.

McDonald’s is ditching plastic straws at 1,300 branches in the UK and Ireland and switching to biodegradable paper ones.

The pub chain Wetherspoons is doing the same across its 900 outlets.

The Daily Mail has led the campaign to end plastic pollution through its Turn The Tide On Plastic campaign.