President Donald Trump has signed an executive order ending federal policies promoting paper straws, declaring it U.S. policy to return to plastic straws. The move, announced on February 10, marks the latest chapter in Trump’s long-standing opposition to paper straws, which he has previously criticized as ineffective and prone to breaking.
“We’re going back to plastic straws,” Trump said after signing the order. “I’ve had paper straws many times, and on occasion, they break, they explode. It’s a ridiculous situation.”
Trump’s disdain for paper straws dates back to his 2020 re-election campaign, when his team branded them as a liberal policy failure and sold nearly half a million dollars’ worth of Trump-branded plastic straws.
The Debate Over Plastic and Paper Straws
Straws have a long history, with evidence of their use dating back to 3,000 B.C. in ancient Sumeria. While they are widely used for convenience, they are also critical for people with disabilities, who often rely on them to drink or take medication.
Plastic straws, however, have been at the center of environmental debates for over a decade. Campaigns against them gained momentum in 2015, when a viral video showed a sea turtle with a plastic straw lodged in its nostril, sparking outrage. Conservation groups, such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Ocean Conservancy, have since warned that plastic straws contribute to marine pollution and threaten wildlife. WWF estimates that 100,000 marine mammals die each year due to plastic waste.
In response, governments and corporations began phasing out plastic straws. In 2018, Seattle became the first major U.S. city to ban plastic straws, followed by states like California, Oregon, and Vermont. Companies such as Starbucks, McDonald’s, and American Airlines also committed to eliminating plastic straws, while the European Union and China enacted nationwide bans. Under President Joe Biden, the U.S. government pledged to phase out single-use plastics from federal food services by 2027 and from all federal operations by 2035.
Trump’s Reversal and Industry Support
Trump’s executive order rescinds Biden-era policies, halting the procurement and use of paper straws in federal buildings. It also mandates the creation of a National Strategy to End the Use of Paper Straws within 45 days, aiming to eliminate restrictions on plastic straws nationwide.
The plastics industry welcomed the decision. Matt Seaholm, President of the Plastics Industry Association, praised Trump’s leadership, saying:
“Straws are just the beginning. ‘Back to Plastic’ is a movement we should all get behind.”
However, environmental advocates condemned the order. Lisa Ramsden, Greenpeace USA’s senior plastics campaigner, accused Trump of siding with Big Oil interests, while Oceana’s U.S. plastics campaign director Christy Leavitt called the move “a step in the wrong direction.”
Despite the criticism, Trump’s move is largely symbolic, as plastic straws remain widely available. However, with the 2024 presidential election approaching, the issue underscores the broader political divide over environmental policies and government regulations.
