Trump Declares 'Back to Plastic': Executive Order Ends Biden's Paper Straw Push Amid Environmental Debate

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order reversing former President Joe Biden's policy to phase out plastic straws in favor of paper alternatives. The order, effective immediately, bans federal agencies from purchasing paper straws and mandates a national strategy to eliminate them. Trump criticized paper straws as ineffective, prone to breaking, and dissolving in hot liquids. He declared Biden's policy "dead," emphasizing practical shortcomings of paper straws and their environmental contradictions, such as containing PFAS chemicals and being individually wrapped in plastic.

 

Biden's 2024 policy aimed to phase out single-use plastics, including straws, by 2027 for food services and 2035 for federal operations, as part of broader efforts to combat plastic pollution. Environmental groups have condemned Trump's decision, warning it undermines progress on reducing plastic waste in oceans and ecosystems. However, Trump and industry supporters argue that plastic straws are more durable, cost-effective, and environmentally viable compared to paper alternatives.

 

This move aligns with Trump's longstanding criticism of paper straws, which he also targeted during his 2020 campaign by selling branded plastic straws that raised nearly $500,000.

 

Source: White House, News Sky, Tribune, BBC, Hindustan Times