Public to get chance to weigh in on plastic vs. paper straws under proposed Trump administration rule
Members of the general public will have a chance to weigh in on the use of paper versus plastic straws as the federal government considers a new rule on the types of straws used by government contractors.
Under the rule proposed by the Trump administration, every federal government contractor -- including those serving military bases and veterans facilities -- would have to offer only straws that "have the strength and durability of plastic straws."
Government contractors would, under the rule, have to attest that they don't use paper straws in their business and promise not to penalize the use of plastic ones.
The proposed rule is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on July 21.
Once it is published, the general public has 60 days to submit comments on the rule at Regulations.gov, the federal eRulemaking portal.
The proposed rule comes five months after President Donald Trump signed an executive order in February moving to reverse a federal push away from plastic straws, saying that paper straws "don't work."
In March, the White House Domestic Policy Council released a report titled "National Strategy to End the Use of Paper Straws."
In the report, the council claims that paper straws "lack the structural integrity" of plastic straws, cost more and contain health hazards. The report also claims that plastic straws do not have a significant environmental impact, writing, "Plastic straws represent an insignificant share of pollution."
Advocates of the use of paper straws claim that single-use plastics, including plastic straws, are an environmental hazard because they contribute to waste, litter and pollution that enters waste streams and waterways.
In 2018, California became the first state in the nation to pass a law banning restaurants from automatically giving out plastic straws.
