Sure, we all know that plastic waste pollution is a huge environmental issue—hence all the uproar re: plastic straws these days. But the fact that a paper straw will get mushy and whither away before you've even finished half of your iced beverage is an even bigger issue for some.
So when McDonald's made the decision to phase out 1.8 million plastic straws at 1,361 of its U.K. and Ireland locations, BBC News reports that people were pissed. In fact, a petition to bring back plastic straws received over 51,000 signatures.
As a result, McDonald's had to find a way to compromise with its customers and the eco-campaigners who had originally protested them. They decided to simply make their paper straws thicker.
...But here's the thing, these new straws are, in fact, too thick to be processed by waste solution companies. In other words, they aren't recyclable. Yep. According to a recent article from The Sun, an internal memo from the fast food company "admits the new paper versions—hated by customers—are not actually recyclable and must be binned and burned."
Per CNN, a McDonald's spokesman confirmed to the UK's Press Association: "While the [paper straw] materials are recyclable, their current thickness makes it difficult for them to be processed by our waste solution providers, who also help us recycle our paper cups."
Before we all go off, let's keep in mind that non-recyclable paper straws are still much better than plastic ones. Yes, McDonald's has admitted that their old plastic straws were "100 percent recyclable." But when it comes to recycling, tiny flimsy straws are pretty difficult to sort, which means they are much more likely to end up in a landfill than to actually be recycled. People also just happen to litter more with straws. According to a 2017 report from the Ocean Conservancy, straws were the seventh most common piece of trash picked up during their annual International Coastal Cleanup.
Because of these issues, some have been asking if straws are even necessary. Julian Kirby, lead campaigner at environmental NGO Friends of the Earth, told The Sun that “Lips have been a waste-free alternative for millions of years.” OK, true. But please keep in mind that for those living with certain disabilities, straws are an absolutely necessary way of consuming water and any other beverage.
