Right: Molly Steer, a nine-year-old girl from Cairns, Queensland, has been the face of the ban-plastic-straws campaign in Australia.
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Arguments in favour of banning plastic straws in Australia
1. Plastic straws end up disproportionately in the ocean
Supporters of a ban on plastic straws argue that though they are only a very small component, by weight, of the plastic waste that finishes up in the world's oceans, they disproportionately arrive at this destination. It has been argued that this is because they are particularly difficult to recycle and their light weight means they easily find their way into drains, waterways and so into seas and oceans. Additionally, the problem they create is compounded by the very large numbers in which they are consumed.
Sustainability Victoria states, 'Unlike some soft plastics which can be recycled, plastic straws cannot be recycled. As they travel down the conveyor belt at your local recycling facility, small items like straws fall through the cracks. This means that straws sit in landfill for years or pollute our oceans and waterways, harming marine life.'
The same problem has been noted in the United States. The environment-awareness site, Get Green Now, states, 'Plastic straws are small, thin, and bend easily. This is a problem because they easily fall into the cracks and crevices of recycling machinery. Therefore, most recyclers do not accept plastic straws, and most straws that do make it to a recycling facility do not become recycled.'
Their critics claim that adding to the problem these straws create because of the difficulty in recycling them is the very large numbers in which they are consumed. Together with the plastic bag and the disposable plastic water bottle, plastic straws have come to epitomise single-use plastic waste. They are products which are used only once, for a short time and then discarded.
Clean Up Australia notes that Australians use about 10 million plastic straws a day. Over a year this amounts to 3.5 billion plastic straws. Plastic straws are the twelfth most common item reported by Clean Up volunteers. They represent 7.5 percent of all reported plastics - with 7,304 reported from rubbish recorded last Clean Up Day. That figure is said to have doubled over the last two years.
Though the origin of the often-quoted 10-million-straws-a-day statistic is not known, the ABC's War on Waste attempted to quantify Australia's daily plastic straw use. A report published by ABC Science on August 5, 2018, stated, 'Pubs polled used an average of about 90,000 straws per year. Across the 6,000 pubs in Australia, that's 540 million straws used by pubs alone. Then add in fast food chains: there are 900 McDonald's restaurants across the country, serving more than 1.7 million people a day. If only half of those customers got a straw, that one fast food chain would be accounting for more than 850,000 straws a day.
And that's not considering the straws that other fast food chains, RSLs, cafes, restaurants, food courts, movies, airlines, sports grounds, supermarkets, schools, hotels and hospitals would all use daily.' The analysis concluded that the 10 million a day estimate may be conservative.
Critics further note that not only do Australia and other nations use plastic straws in huge numbers each day, many of these straws find their way into seas and oceans where they remain as they do not fully degrade.
The conservation group Strawless Ocean note that once in the litter stream, plastic straws are very likely to finish in the ocean. Strawless Ocean's Internet site states, 'Plastic straws end up in the ocean primarily through human error, often left on beaches in coastal communities and seaside resorts globally, littered or blown out of trash cans (oftentimes overfilled) or transport boats and vehicles.'
2. Plastic straws are injurious to the marine environment and to marine animals
Opponents of plastic straws argue that though they are not the only source of plastic contamination in the world's oceans, there is growing evidence that they are part of a problem that is harming the marine environment and marine animals.
An analysis published in the Australian edition of The Guardian on June 29, 2017, stated, 'A lot of plastic debris in the ocean breaks down into smaller pieces and is ingested by marine life, and it is thought that a significant amount sinks to the sea bed. But a lot of it just floats around...[with] huge amounts of plastic end[ing] up in six "garbage patches" around the world, the largest one being in the north Pacific.'
It has been demonstrated that when plastic gets into the ocean it breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces known as 'microplastics', rather than biodegrading or dissolving, which poses great threats to marine life including fish. The conservation group Strawless Ocean has cited research which predicts that by 2050, 99 percent of all sea bird species will have ingested plastic. The mortality rate can be up to 50 percent. Research has also shown plastic in sea salt, 94 percent of United States tap water, and shellfish.
Scientists at the UGA New Materials Institute have conducted a study which discovered microplastics particles smaller than dust or powdered sugar inside baby sea turtles. Of the turtles studies in this research, 100 percent were found to have eaten plastic. These baby sea turtles appeared to be dying due to ingested plastic pollution, which threatens the species' survival.
John Calvelli, the leader of the Give a Sip campaign, a movement seeking to have plastic straws banned, has claimed that the impact on sea life has been immense. Calvelli has stated, 'Research has found that 70 percent of seabirds and 30 percent of sea turtles have some amount of plastic in their systems.'
In September, 2018, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) linked the amount of plastic a sea turtle consumes and its likelihood of death, with an estimated half of all sea turtles having plastic in their gut. The study found that once a turtle had 14 pieces of plastic in its gut, it had a 50 percent likelihood that it would cause death.
Principal research scientist, Chris Wilcox, at the CSIRO in Hobart, has stated, 'What we found was that when the turtle eats the first piece of plastic, it has about a 20 per cent chance of dying due to that one piece of plastic and as they eat more plastic, the chance that they die goes up... We find hundreds of pieces of plastic in some turtles, everything from thin film to rope to fishing line, anything you see in your daily life we see in a turtle.'
Dr Wilcox warned, 'All this plastic was in someone's hand at one point or another and it's really about changing how we act around our waste.'
It has also been noted that the plight of the endangered Galapagos green turtles is being made worse by their ingestion of plastic debris. Plastic debris ingested by these turtles can cause intestinal blockage resulting in malnutrition, reduced growth rates and death. The turtles can starve to death because they feel full after swallowing plastic debris.
The Galapagos Conservation Trust based in the United Kingdom is launching a multi-year program to reduce plastic use in the Archipelago, where a ban on single-use plastic straws, bottles and bags began on August 21, 2018. The ban was promoted by the Governing Council of the Special Regime of the Gal�pagos.
3. Plastic straws are generally a discretionary item
Those who advocate that plastic straws should be banned argue that they are an appropriate product with which to begin cutting back on plastic use because they are a discretionary item. According to this line of argument, plastic straws are generally viewed as a small indulgence that consumers can do without.
Diana Lofflin, founder of StrawFree.org, has stated, 'Straws are something anyone can give up easily without having it affect their lifestyle. It's a small step anyone can take to make a global impact.'
Opponents of plastic straws tend to see them as a consumer indulgence. An editorial published in Nolisoli on May 15, 2017, stated, 'Go to any food establishment and you will find a straw dispenser somewhere. If there's none, chances are they're going to serve it with your drink anyway. The rising demand for consumer convenience can be seen in fast food chains offering disposable foodware, simply because more people are taking their meals on the go.'
On April 17, 2018, Ying Wong made a similar comment that was published in De Minimis. Wong states, 'It's very rare that one actually needs [a plastic straw]. While there are some exceptions, there are remarkably few drinks that cannot be drunk directly from the lip of the cup...It is hence frustrating that some choose to indulge in the pleasure of sucking their drink like a baby on a teat for a total of six minutes, without considering the 450 years attached to that piece of plastic that will not break down in landfill, or will end up in the ocean.'
Councillor Neil Horner, Qualicum Beach, Vancouver Island, has also stressed the redundancy of plastic straws for most users. Councillor Horner stated, 'We've made a big mistake as a society and we need to do something about it and make some changes... While plastic bags are seen by some as necessary, plastic straws are just an indulgence - a small indulgence and nothing more.'
Qualicum Beach council is currently in the process of approving a bylaw that would eventually ban the provision of plastic straws and single-use plastic bags.Supporters of plastic straw bans do not take issue with those with a disability who need to use plastic straws, rather, they argue, the problem is created by the vast majority of users of plastic straws for whom these items are not a necessity. The anti-plastic straw lobby group, The Last Straw, states, 'If only people that needed plastic straws used them, we wouldn't have such a big problem. However, there is a lot of unnecessary waste being produced by people who don't need to use a straw, and by the service industry being in the habit of giving them out. Our issue is not with the people that need to use straws, or even straws themselves, but the sheer volume that are being used and thrown away unnecessarily.'
4. There are biodegradable alternatives to plastic straws
Opponents of plastic straws argue that they can easily be either withdrawn or issued in a limited manner because there are biodegradable and/or more permanent alternatives that can be used in their stead.
Difford's Guide, Australia, suggests a wide range of alternatives that can be used instead of plastic straws. One of these is bamboo, which is claimed to be highly sustainable, durable and compostable. The site also recommends stainless steel, glass and paper straws. Glass and stainless steel straws are able to be cleaned and are reusable. Paper straws are described as 'compostable, biodegradable and made from renewable resources'. The site recommends a particular brand of paper straw which it claims 'are durable enough to last up to three hours in cold drinks'. The site also recommends silicone straws, which while hard to recycle, produce nine times less greenhouse gas in their manufacture than conventional plastic straws.
The Last Plastic Straw recommends these and a number of other alternatives. One of these is lolistraws which are said to be edible, compostable, marine degradable and made using a seaweed-based material technology. The site also recommends straws made from straw which are non-polluting and biodegradable. Also available are stainless steel straws which are able to be bent.
On August 25, 2015, The Guardian published a review of alternatives to plastic straws by Vivian Ho. Ho writes, 'I ranked the metal straws as first in terms of use, durability, efficiency and ease of cleaning...Something about their solidity made me feel I could trust them more than the other straws. I expected a slight metallic taste but found none. They tended to absorb the temperature of the liquid, getting chilly in the cold drinks and warm in the hot drinks. I had dreaded cleaning the straws - there is just something so daunting about the teeny-tiny brushes that accompany them - but I found that after one use, a quick rinse with hot water did the job just fine.'
On July 29, 2018, Business Insider South Africa reviewed five different alternatives to plastic straws - stainless steel, etched copper, glass, bamboo, and reed. It was noted that all were re-usable, two were both bio-degradable and renewable - and none had the long-term environmental impact of plastic. The glass straw was judged the most effective: 'It suffers none of the heat conductivity or taste issues of other straws. The thick, rounded edges are pleasant in the mouth. It is entirely thick and sturdy enough to clamp satisfyingly between the teeth.'
On July 11, 2018, Fortune published a report detailing how a number of businesses planning no longer to offer plastic straws intended to replace them. ' Starbucks will replace straws with recyclable plastic lids for all cold beverages. Straws made from other materials, like paper and compostable plastic, are also available for use with Frappuccinos upon request... Hoping to cut its environmental footprint in half by 2030, Hilton Hotels outlined its plans to remove plastic straws from 650 properties in 2018. The company says it will replace the plastic straws with a paper or biodegradable option... Alaska Airlines also announced... that it would start to replace plastic straws...with "sustainable, marine-friendly alternatives"... Royal Caribbean...said it will offer paper straws to customers by request.'
5. Plastic straws bans can lead to more substantial measures
Some advocates for plastic straw bans argue that, though plastic straws are not the world's most pressing plastics pollution problem, their banning is of major symbolic significance. According to this line of argument, banning plastic straws is a measure which raises environmental awareness among the general community, especially awareness of the impact of plastics pollution. Supporters of a plastic straw ban hope that this measure will lead to additional changes which will further reduce the production and use of plastic products.
Dianna Cohen, the chief executive officer of the Plastic Pollution Coalition, has stated, 'We look at straws as one of the gateway issues to help people start thinking about the global plastic pollution problem. They have been designed to be used for a very short amount of time, and then be tossed away.'
Jenni Avins, writing for Quartz, in a comment published on July 10, 2018, stated, 'There's reason to believe that incremental changes can help create more meaningful ones (not to mention compound). A plastic straw - however symbolic - can lead to conversations about larger looming issues, including the acidification of our oceans, or more significant sources of ocean trash, such as waste from the commercial fishing industry and poor waste management in Asia.'
Psychologist Robert Gifford has similarly stated, ' Banning straws is about as important as spitting in the wind, but a lot of social psychology research says that if you get people to say yes to a small request, they are more likely to accede to more serious requests.'
From the same perspective, Sarah Gibbens, in an article published in National Geographic on July 23, 2018, stated, 'Though just a small fraction of all plastic pollution, straws have become a symbol of waste to rally behind and a feasible way for consumers to feel like they're making a difference.'
Supporters of the ban on plastic straws argue that not only do the straws themselves have a significant symbolic value in the battle against plastics pollution, one of the triggers which helped motivate action against this particular product has also become a powerful catalyst for change.
At the time of writing this issue outline, more than 30 million people had watched a disturbing 8-minute viral video of an olive ridley sea turtle with a stream of blood draining from its nostril, as two researchers worked to extract a 10-cm plastic straw.
An abbreviated version of the video had been watched by ten million people. Christine Figgener, a PhD student at Texas A&M University and a sea turtle expert, has stated, 'We have been talking about the detrimental effects of straws for years, but seeing that video, as horrible as it was, is what we needed to wake people up.' In an analysis published on June 6, 2017, Cirrus Wood stated, 'The image has become a symbol in the plastics debate, representing how developed nations often prioritise consumer ease over planetary health.'