Clutching at straws

sir – Out of all the plastic items that may be discarded, the outcry over plastic straws, and the proposal to ban them (report, February 23), seem somewhat overblown.

We buy them for our daughter, who has been advised by her dentist to use them to protect her teeth, and for our young grandsons, to prevent spillages from open beakers.

All used straws go straight into the bin, which is emptied weekly, and are taken for incineration three miles away to generate electricity.

By all means demonise the idiots who litter the streets with all manner of detritus, but the state should not penalise legitimate users of a quite inoffensive and useful product. Michael Staples

Seaford, East Sussex