The White House orders a “National Strategy to End the Use of Paper Straws” in 45 days

US President Donald Trump has signed an Executive Order to end the “procurement and forced use of paper straws.” Such straws are no longer available in federal buildings, and the order requires the development of a "National Strategy to End the Use of Paper Straws within 45 days."

The introduction of plastic straws is not just about convenience but about the “dismantling of major policies that support innovation and tackle environmental damage caused by big business,” Sian Sutherland, the cofounder and chief changemaker at A Plastic Planet, tells Packaging Insights.

A Plastic Planet is an organization offering consulting services on sustainability, packaging, and retail.

Discussing President Trump’s plan to bring back plastic straws, Sutherland says: “This kind of shock doctrine headline, pushing against the ‘crazy greens that don’t understand the business,’ typifies Trump’s first month in office. Let us not be side-tracked. This is not about straws.”

The newly published Fact Sheet by The White House, titled “President Donald J. Trump Ends the Procurement and Forced Use of Paper Straws,” includes a section on “Promoting a clean and healthy environment” that touches upon multiple points unrelated to drinking straws.

“President Trump’s policies are promoting economic growth while still maintaining standards that allow Americans to have among the cleanest air and water in the world,” the statement reads.

Effects on industry and business 

The US Plastic Industry Association welcomes Trump’s order, while agreeing with Sutherland’s sentiment that this decision will have implications beyond drinking utensils.

The US Plastic Industry Association says that straws are just the beginning of the “Back to Plastic movement.”CEO Matt Seaholm states: “Straws are just the beginning — ‘Back to Plastic’ is a movement we should all get behind. We appreciate President Trump’s leadership in recognizing the value of plastics and look forward to working with his Administration to advance our industry.”

“We know that plastic is the best material for nearly everything it is used for while being sustainable.”

Sutherland responds: “Scientists have already estimated a cost to the US economy of over US$250 billion caused by the impact of plastic and its toxic chemicals on human health.” 

“What Trump is missing here are the extraordinary economic opportunities of renewables — infinitely available compared to finite fossil fuels — along with the benefits of natural materials from abundant sources and the protection of the population.” 

Human health debate

The White House’s new fact sheet states that paper straws may harm human health.

“Paper straws use chemicals that may carry risks to human health — including ‘forever chemical’ PFAS, which are known to be highly water soluble and can bleed from the straw into a drink. A study found that while PFAS were found in paper straws, no measurable PFAS were found in plastic straws.”

Sutherland states: “There is no evidence to suggest that paper harms human health. It’s the toxic chemicals that have infiltrated production. It’s how governments globally have failed to tackle the issue of toxic novel entities being exponentially used for everyday products.”

A new study found a link between microplastics in the brain and lower cognitive function.“If Trump is concerned about public health, then I suggest he looks to the thousands of chemicals in plastic that have been classified as hazardous. The scaling of natural materials, including paper that are free from chemical additives and work with nature, not against it, is the solution we need for a sustainable future that protects the basic human right to health,”  he continues. 

Sutherland points to a new study that found a correlation between high concentrations of microplastics in the human brain tissue and deteriorating cognitive function. “So, if we want to ‘Make America Smart Again,’ sucking on toxic plastic straws is not going to help.”

Environmental consequences 

The White House fact sheet further states that paper straws are “not the eco-friendly alternative they claim to be.” 

“Studies have shown that producing paper straws can have a larger carbon footprint and require more water than plastic straws. Paper straws often come individually wrapped in plastic, undermining the environmental argument for their use.”

Responding to these claims, Sutherland says: “Managed correctly, the paper industry, using waste cellulosic fiber from the timber market, can have a lower carbon footprint than something made from an oil rig that is toxic to humans at every stage of its supply chain.”

“Carbon metrics to date have carefully ignored the true impact of plastic. As a country, the plastics industry is the 5th biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, and if you include health impact, plastic will never win as a better material.”

Revoking Biden’s strategy 

Commenting on President Trump’s plan to revoke the National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution announced by former President Biden last November, Sutherland says that:

“Trump’s decision to rescind Biden’s order reflects both a fear of sustainable innovation gaining momentum and a backward-thinking mentality that puts public health and the environment at the bottom of the priority list.”

Sutherland says that carbon metrics to date have carefully ignored the true impact of plastic.The White House fact sheet on paper straws states: “President Trump is committed to securing US energy independence, recognizing that US domestic supply of clean coal and natural gas not only strengthens national security but also provides some of the cleanest energy in the world.”

Sutherland continues: “The Big Oil giants, which Trump sits in the pocket of, will be celebrating the announcement as if it were Christmas. However, we must not ignore the growing litigation that threatens the fossil fuel industry globally. The case brought against the Food and Drug Administration and California’s lawsuit against ExxonMobil are just some examples.”

“The Trump Administration is swimming against the tide of the majority of nations around the table to negotiate a UN Global Plastics Treaty, and ultimately, multinational corporations will be adhering to vast swathes of plastic legislation outside of the US regardless of the decisions made in the White House — surely it would be better for business to align on plastic standards and targets worldwide?”

She acknowledges that there are also efforts to undermine the EU’s ban on single-use plastic straws “with the introduction of supposedly ‘reusable’ plastic straws, handed over by barmen who expect you to keep it and reuse it.”

“Again, the straw is a symbol, it is not the bulk of the plastic problem. More importantly, we should focus on the other uses of plastic and push for their replacements to really impact this crisis.”

With additional reporting by Natalie Schwertheim