ELi5: How did plastic straws specifically become targeted for eco-friendly banning, but similar disposables like plastic forks and spoons didn’t?
In: Culture
The picture of the straw up the turtle’s nose just highlights how much damage they can do to marine life, more than other types of single use plastics.
The reason plastic straws are the target is that they’re so difficult to recycle because of the size and malleability, so they often slip past the machines. Your point about other cutlery is a good one, and the EU, for example is trying to ban them as well as plastic straws. It won’t have a large effect on reducing total plastic waste, but it would be a good place to start before moving onto more items, particularly if you’re able to get the really big polluters in Asia on board. Alsoit could make a significant difference in helping certain marine life, more than if you banned spoons or forks.
The real problem with banning plastic straws is the problems it would cause people with limited ability to use their arms. For many they’re the only way to drink out of a cup in a dignified manner.
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