Summary: Reduce your use of single-use plastics. Activists Say Straws Should Be Banned Because They Are a 'Gateway Plastic' Advocates hope a straw ban will be the first step toward broader plastic prohibitions. Accompanied by high social accountability and musical garbage trucks, that strategy has proved wildly effective: the island now reports recycling rates above 50 percent. Yes, it should. Marine animals bear the burden of this influx of garbage into their habitats. These actions are a response to calls for change and shifting consumer habits. Let companies that make your favorite products know that you care about the packaging. Paper straws cannot be recycled in any way. Since plastic bag recycling requires a specialized equipment that can break down the plastic and mold it into a new product, most municipalities do not have the budget to include their recycling in their waste management program. It is predicted that each year 8 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean, with 1.152.41 tons of that plastic being carried there by major rivers all over the world. The second, more fundamental imperative is to get plastics out of our waste stream. Additionally, a plastic straw ban could also act as a gateway into other single-use plastic bans for items like plastic bottles and plastic bags, which are worse for the environment than plastic straws. That is why the United Nations Environmental Programme Secretariat has recommended a ban on all plastic bags globally. Such changes could have outsized benefits for vulnerable populations that rely on rivers for their water supply. Greentumble is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. These microscopic plastic fragments, no more than 5 millimeters long, are hard to detectand are just about everywhere. Not only is plastic estimated to kill millions of marine animals and seabirds each year, but its also contaminating seafood that humans have relied on for millennia, particularly with microplastics in animals guts. Some companies are taking initiative on their own. What is the root of the problem (consumers or municipal waste management)? As plastic bags are not disposed properly . China doesnt want our plastic waste anymore. If youd like to learn more about how plastic straws negatively impact the environment, you can check out this article I wrote about the environmental impact of plastic straws. The reason to worry is that scientists do not know how our metabolism and immunity will react to the increased concentration of plastic particles in our system. Natural Resources Defense Council 2023 Privacy Policy You probably already saw the video, but if you didnt, you can watch it below (WARNING: Graphic Content): Supporters of plastic straw bans claim that the ban will help reduce our use of single-use plastics. Straws made of paper are neither recyclable nor capable of decomposition. But should plastic straws really be banned? Criddle and Leape are also senior fellows at theStanford Woods Institute for the Environment. Why Should Plastic Straws Be Banned? - Nationwide Plastics If it looks clean, smells clean (and sounds clean! It is good for our environment, health and global climate. Some experts estimate that more than 1 million sea animals are killed each year by straws and other types of plastic trash. It started with cardboard straws, but once plastic production in America increased, people realized it was quicker and cheaper to produce plastic straws. According to some estimates, the cost of plastic bag cleanup is about 17 cents per bag [14] and the cost is paid by us once again. All Rights Reserved. More and more states are looking to pass a new kind of recycling law that asks manufacturers to foot the bill for the waste created by their products. | | Not easy to recycle 7. This NRDC.org story is available for online republication by news media outlets or nonprofits under these conditions: The writer(s) must be credited with a byline; you must note prominently that the story was originally published by NRDC.org and link to the original; the story cannot be edited (beyond simple things such as time and place elements, style, and grammar); you cant resell the story in any form or grant republishing rights to other outlets; you cant republish our material wholesale or automaticallyyou need to select stories individually; you can't republish the photos or graphics on our site without specific permission; you should drop us a note to let us know when youve used one of our stories. 4. Only then would a plastic straw ban be able to actually help preserve the environment. This includes waste collection, regular cleanups to remove plastic bag litter along the roads or blown away from landfills and then even processing at landfill sites. Ban of Plastic Can be Problematic. You'll receive your first NRDC action alert and Greenwashing Alert: Chemical Recycling Isnt Actually Recycling. Plastic straws are everywhere we look. But you should also consider the other perspective what effect single-use bags have had on the local economy and product affordability. Juan Cristobal Cobo/Bloomberg via Getty Images. All rights reserved. Tangled in trees and fences along roads, floating in water, lying on the ground in parks and forests, surrounding garbage bins, washed off on beaches. 8 good reasons to give up plastic straws - CareElite And will a plastic straw ban actually be effective when it comes to saving our oceans and environment? Although single-use plastic pollution accumulates most visibly on our streets, in fact our water suffers even more. For example, in Botswana, the consumption of plastic bags dropped by 50 percent after the introduction of the tax in 2007. Will others? Talk to the owners of the restaurants you frequent. Overall, the goal of a plastic straw ban should be to increase public awareness for single-use plastics and their nasty effects on the environment. Even human footprints left in the sand represent mountain-like obstacles in their path and waves washing up on the beach are another challenge, as they thrust them back on the dry land to try once again before finally being picked up by a return current and start swimming for their life. that do collect plastic bags and other plastic films and send them for proper recycling. In countries with a lack of awareness about negative impacts of plastic bags, a polite refusal might not be met with much understanding. Starting in the 1960s, plastic straw manufacturing took off. Such is the case with many environmental crises: the worst effects are pushed onto overburdened communities with the fewest resources to fight back. Once a person gets into the habit of bringing reusable bags when shopping, it is not much of an inconvenience at all. According to a 2017 study, more than half of non-fiber plastic, which excludes synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon, comes from plastic packaging alone, much of which is for single-use items. The crisis is so serious that many people are saying that plastic straws should be outlawed. Additionally, awareness raising campaigns create a social pressure that should inspire local government and institutions to help in making changes at a bigger scale, like a regional ban or levy. PLASTIC STRAWS CANT BE BROKEN DOWN BY NATURE. Most plastic straws are made from harsh chemicals making them impossible to reuse or recycle. And cracker plantswhich break, or crack, ethane molecules, a component of natural gas, into the chemical building blocks of plastic productsare energy intensive and highly polluting. Banning Straws and Bags Won't Solve our Plastic Problem In this article, Ill go over both the pros and cons of a plastic straw ban. In addition, despite the fact that the FDA has deemed this to be safe for consumption, chemicals from the plastic may seep into liquids, releasing substances that have the potential to influence estrogen levels. In 2015 a mere 24 of these ethane cracker facilities in the United States had the combined carbon output of 3.8 million passenger vehicles. We all are just trying to do our job well. They discovered that Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Nestl products were found most often. 5 Metals in your Home that can be Recycled for Cash, How exactly bidets offer a healthier, green option for your bathroom, A Closer Look at General Motors (GM) Sustainability Initiatives. Your email address will not be published. [PDF] Skip The Straw - 10 Reasons Fact Sheet - Kids. This strategy has been adopted by some countries and municipalities so far and has proven to greatly reduce plastic bag usage by consumers. Plastic Straws: Is Paper Really Better for the Environment? The subtropical gyres of the North Pacific Ocean are also documented to contain the highest concentrations of plastic. To date, around 60 countries and municipalities around the world have instituted plastic bag bans, and additional seven countries are planning to enforce the law in the closest future. The answer isnt as simple as you may think: While its true that paper straws arent as harmful as plastic straws, this doesnt mean that, Read More Paper vs. Nows the Time. As a result, they are thrown away and frequently wind up in the ocean, where they pollute the water and eventually kill marine birds, animals, and fish. A calf had to be put down because of indigestion caused by 8 plastic bags in its stomach. Animals can also easily become entangled in this plastic waste. What never leaves, Read More Sustainable Diving & Snorkeling: How to Prevent Damage to Marine EcosystemsContinue, Top 3 Ways Kids can Help the Earth! Not only does the waste destroy the land itself, but when plastic is incinerated (as is the case for unrecyclable plastic at some illegal facilities) its toxic fumes quickly become a health hazard for residents, leading to everything from skin rashes to cancer. One of the most significant negative effects that plastic bags have on the natural world is that it takes a very long time for them to degrade.In addition, the breakdown of plastic bags in the sun results in the release of hazardous compounds into the surrounding soil, and the combustion of plastic bags results in the release of a poisonous material into the surrounding air, contributing to the problem of ambient air pollution. A plastic straw ban could be a good step in the right direction, but we must use less single-use products overall to actually help the environment. JIM LEAPE: Our oceans are currently swimming with plastics. According to a study carried out in 2013, up to 35 percent of turtle deaths were caused by plastic ingestion and the probability that sea turtles will consume even more plastic increases every year [9]. Well, a possible alternative solution could be to encourage businesses to only give out plastic straws on request. And, if you dont like wearing the same shirt or pants, Read More Dont wash it if it doesnt look dirtyContinue, At age 50, Kay is a little over halfway through her life as a driver. Not only does banning single-use plastic reduce pollution, but it also reduces demand for plastic production thats contributing to global climate change. Starbucks recently announced that it would phase out use of plastic straws by the year 2020. 2023 Get Green Now. It is possible to enhance ones risk of developing cavities by using a straw while consuming liquids that are either sweet or acidic. 6461 garfield street hollywood, fl. A Ban Could Harm Local Businesses If Many people with disabilities rely on flexible straws to drink safely and independently. 1. plastic straws litter our environment Every day, about 3-6 billion plastic straws are produced. For the oceans sake, wed better hope so. However, as an environmental enthusiast, heres what I think about this ban. Cause of environmental pollution 2. Plastic waste, mostly broken down into tiny particles, floats in huge blobs amid ocean current patterns called gyres that together cover as much as 40 percent of Earths ocean surface. The problem with plastic straws is that they are one of the biggest causes of unnecessary plastic pollution. In New York, 23 billion plastic bags are used by residents each year. Driven by public pressure, governments and corporations are considering eliminating or phasing out single-use plastics such as straws. As communities act to ban single-use plastics and individual consumers raise concerns, bigger actors pay attention. (Everything You Need To Know). Single-use plastics are most commonly used for packaging and serviceware, such as bottles, wrappers, straws, and bags. Single-use plastics are most commonly used for packaging and serviceware, such as bottles, wrappers, straws, and bags. 10 Reasons Why Plastic Bags Should Be Banned | IUCN Water 1. The most heartbreaking part of this is that the affected animals are not aware they eat something that will make them feel miserable and will slowly kill them. 2. Individual choicesand the collective shifts they bring aboutadd up quickly. Participate in beach or river cleanups. By simply using less plastic, you can help keep marine life from eating and getting entangled in garbage. Because they are so lightweight, plastic bags get easily picked up by wind and travel long distances by wind and water to pollute the nature. Thoughtful laws are needed to control the problem and at the same time encourage innovation. The people of Macon, Georgia, saw through it. TIME for Kids | Should Plastic Straws Be Banned? The crucial challenge is to ensure that these bans are just a first step. Starbucks plans to phase out plastic straws by 2020. To make matters worse, if plastic straws get into the ocean, they can be mistaken for food by marine animals. They contribute to the contamination of our landfills and seas when they are discarded after use. These pieces can be so small that they are invisible to our eye. FNB News - Choose the right straw | FNB News America Needs a Plastics Intervention. Quick Navigation for Reasons Why Plastic Shopping Bags Should Be Banned REASONS 1. An additional problem with plastic grocery bags recycling is their cleanliness. 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned? An Oregon community is making spectacular statues out of ocean plastic to raise awareness about a crisis at sea. Plastic bags floating in the ocean resemble jellyfish, one of the main sources of food for some species of sea turtles, especially the critically-endangered Leatherback turtles. The single biggest reason why people want to ban plastic straws is because of their negative effects on the environment. They're bad for the environment, kill marine life and damage human health. Sugar and oils are too expensive. Plastic utensils are convenient and straws are fun for kids, but much of that plastic eventually winds up in a landfill or as litter. Activists Say Straws Should Be Banned Because They Are a 'Gateway Plastic' For many of us it is hard to imagine that something as small as a plastic bag can actually cause flooding, but residents of some cities in Bangladesh have been struggling with this problem every monsoon season for the past two decades [3]. On average, plastic bags cost retailers about 3-5 cents each. Straws made of plastic contribute to the pollution of our seas and streams. You need to know what effects plastic bags have on the environment and health. by TFK Kid Reporter Maria Suarez, 10 Bellaire, Texas Plastic straws should not be banned until we can find alternatives that are affordable, environmentally friendly, and acceptable for disabled people. By comparison, an estimated 46 percent of all pollution in the ocean is made up of lost or abandoned fishing gear (Vox). Quick Navigation for Reasons Why Plastic Shopping Bags Should Be Banned, [1] https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/25496/singleUsePlastic_sustainability.pdf, [2] https://www.eco-business.com/opinion/getting-rid-of-plastic-bags-a-windfall-for-supermarkets-but-it-wont-do-much-for-the-environment/, [3] https://www.thethirdpole.net/en/2018/04/09/plastic-chokes-dhakas-drainage/, [4] https://1bagatatime.com/learn/plastic-bags-petroleum/, [5] https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=2935417&page=1, [6] https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/06/plastic-planet-waste-pollution-trash-crisis/, [7] https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/10/12/124006/pdf, [8] https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/blogs/rare-sea-turtles-eating-plastic-at-record-rate, [9] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/cobi.12126, [10] http://www.prijatelji-zivotinja.hr/index.en.php?id=934, [11] http://advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy/2008/12/plastic-bags-and-animals-making-the-wild-safe-for-wildlife/, [12] http://science.sciencemag.org/content/359/6374/460, [13] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/22/microplastics-found-in-human-stools-for-the-first-time, [14] https://1bagatatime.com/learn/plastic-bag-clean-costs/, [15] http://www.bagmonster.com/2010/04/the-true-cost-of-single-use-bags.html, [16] http://www.cep.unep.org/cep-documents/unep-press-release-on-the-effects-of-plastic-waste-on-marine-ecosystems.pdf, [17] https://greentumble.com/can-plastic-bags-be-recycled/, [18] https://1bagatatime.com/learn/plastic-bag-clean-costs/, [19] https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/how-many-countries-are-in-the-world.html, [20] https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/25496/singleUsePlastic_sustainability.pdf. The process of drilling for plastics source materials, oil and gas, leads to methane leaking and flaring and is often combined with clearing forests and wetlands that otherwise would have sequestered carbon. Our waterway plastic pollution is particularly concentrated: Just ten rivers carry 93 percent of the worlds total amount of plastic that enters the oceans via rivers each year. This blog covers a variety of topics including plastic pollution, renewable energy, electric vehicles, and much more. A 2018 study of coral reefs in the Asia-Pacific has confirmed that plastic waste deposited on coral reefs promotes outbreaks of diseases that gradually destroy whole reef colonies [12]. Put simply, single-use plastics are goods that are made primarily from fossil fuelbased chemicals (petrochemicals) and are meant to be disposed of right after useoften, in mere minutes. According to market research firms, Americans use about 350 million plastic straws every single day. Another indirect danger of plastic bags has breeding ground in the pollution they create. The ban also kept them from littering neighborhoods and the environment. Stanford Reportspoke withJim Leape, co-director of theStanford Center for Ocean Solutions, andCraig Criddle, a professor of civil and environmental engineering, about the path to reducing ocean plastic pollution. Read more about us. Thats nearly equivalent to the weight of the entire human population. On average, taxpayers end up paying about $88 per year just on plastic bag waste [15]. Why? On their long journey, they will encounter many difficulties and only a small portion of them will survive.