Easy call, says Blaz: KO straws

MAYOR DE Blasio says his choice in a straw vote would be easy.

“Theirtimehascome andgone. I believe we should get rid of plastic straws,” de Blasio said, as legislation was introduced in the City Council to ban restaurants and bars from giving out the disposable suckers.

Hizzoner said he hadn’t reviewed the specific legislation, but he likes the idea.

“We don’t need them. For a longtimewe had paper straws; the worldwent along just fine,” he said at an unrelated news conference in theBronx.

Environmentalists are targeting the straws because they’re hard to recycle and often end up in the oceanand harm sea life, and because they believe most people and businesses won’t miss them.

City Councilman Rafael Espinal (DBrooklyn), who introduced the bill, said at a news conference at lower Manhattan’s Pier A restaurant, one of dozens that voluntarily gave up plastic straws, that he expects it to pass. “It seems to have a lot of support from my colleagues,” he said. “If the business community is onboard, I see very little resistance moving forward.”

The legislation would ban plastic straws at all food service establishments but not the sale of the straws in grocery stores for use at home or when needed for medical reasons.