Expert It’s killing sea life
Plastic straws are not easily recycled. Aside from being deemed low-grade plastic, the problem is their size, which means they’re hard to pick out by workers.
As plastic travels down conveyor belts while being sorted, small items such as straws fall through cracks and end up going to landfill.
Millions end up being blown into the sea where they can end up in the marine ecosystem.
Plastic straws are one of the top 10 items found in beach clean-ups across the globe and cause serious damage to wildlife and the environment.
A video of a sea turtle bleeding and in pain in Costa Rica as scientists removed one from its nostril went viral in 2015 and raised awareness. Paper alternatives are far more biodegradable and less harmful to wildlife. Biodegradable straws can be bought online at about £2.50 for a box of 250. Plastic straws are generally cheaper but restaurants and pubs can make up the difference by only offering a straw on request.
There are also reusable alternatives such as steel, glass or bamboo straws.
They also have many alternative practical uses, including tangle-free jewellery storage, hulling strawberries and unclogging ketchup bottles.
Catherine Gemmell, of the Marine Conservation Society Scotland, said: “Plastic straws can have devastating impacts on marine life. They can also block an animal’s airway or digestive system.
“There are unknown consequences on human health when they break down into micro-plastics in the sea and enter the food chain.
“Targeting plastic straws is a simple way to ask people to make a small change in their life and reduce their plastic footprint.”