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The Truth about Plastic Straws
By Angela Logomasini of CEI. Excerpt:
"But paper straws that turn to mush before you can finish your drink
are a perfect symbol for failed leftist ideas. A quick examination of
the claims about plastic straws reveals the intellectual mush that’s
behind so many of the left’s short-sighted and foolish nanny-state
proposals.
Plastic straws won their place in the market because they proved to be excellent products.
They are lightweight, sanitary, require little energy and resources to
make and transport, and perform very well. Claims that they are easy to
replace belie reality.
In addition to soggy paper, the Left has pushed metal (particularly
aluminum) straws as well as glass straws (maybe even more ridiculous),
bamboo, and you name it. They gave little thought about how potential
“alternatives” might impact public health and safety.
When straw bans gained global attention several years ago, disabled people rightly expressed dismay because
the alternatives posed risks — from performance problems to potential
injury due to rigid qualities (or breakage in the case of glass) to the
potential for allergic reactions. Meanwhile, plastic straws had proved
essential in meeting special needs. Some government straw bans provide
exemptions for disabled people, but bans make the straws less accessible
and less politically acceptable.
Amid all the misinformation, some disabled people are unfortunately
choosing alternative straws despite apparent risks. Consider Elena
Struthers-Gardner, a former jockey disabled from a work-related injury,
who paid a high price for
choosing a metal straw last November. Struthers-Gardner tripped while
holding a mason jar that had a metal straw fixed in the lid. The straw
went into her eye and then into her brain and killed her.
That was certainly a horrible freak accident, but it never should
have happened. It’s a heart-breaking reminder that there are trade-offs
associated with nanny-state campaigns that advance needless product
substitutions.
In any case, the idea that metal straws (or glass or bamboo) are a
good option for anyone is simply ridiculous. They are heavy, sharp, and
present risks — and not only for disabled people. Starbucks had to recall its metal straws because
they were cutting children’s tongues! Reusable straws can also
accumulate dangerous bacteria if not cleaned well, and cleaning inside a
straw isn’t easy even with a kit. Frankly, most people have better
things to do with their time.
It's understandable that people want to keep plastic products and
other trash out of the ocean. But ocean pollution won’t be solved by
largely symbolic plastics bans. Studies show the vast majority of
plastic waste is due to poor disposal practices outside of the United
States. Data in a 2015 Science magazine report
reveals that China and 11 other Asian nations are responsible for
77-83% of plastic waste entering the oceans because of poor disposal practices, such as open dumps.
This is in contrast to U.S. waste management practices, such as
well-managed sanitary landfills and recycling programs that do a good
job of keeping plastics out of the ocean. A 2017 Environmental Sciences and Technology study reported
that up to 95% of global plastic waste enters oceans from just 10
rivers — eight in Asia and two in Africa. The U.S contribution was
estimated to be about 1%, which we can work to reduce through litter
reduction efforts rather than banning plastics.
The answer to plastics waste is proper waste disposal, not government
bans. The “liberal paper straw” and all the Left’s other “alternatives”
offer yet more evidence why people should stop listening to left-wing,
nanny-state activists."
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