In another move toward common sense, President Donald Trump announced Friday that he will be taking action next week to reverse former President Joe Biden’s directive to end the use of plastic straws.
“I will be signing an Executive Order next week ending the ridiculous Biden push for Paper Straws, which don’t work,” Trump posted on social media.
“BACK TO PLASTIC!” he added.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 7, 2025
In July 2024, the Biden administration announced “a new goal to phase out federal procurement of single-use plastics from food service operations, events, and packaging by 2027, and from all federal operations by 2035.”
That of course would include plastic straws.
Trump’s executive order will presumably rescind the Biden directive.
It’s not clear what the president can do to stop private companies from choosing to use paper straws, but like his order to end diversity, equity, and inclusion policies in the federal government and to prevent men from participating in women’s sports, his push can have a spillover effect into the private sector.
Trump’s opposition to paper straws has been consistent.
In 2020, he had some fun with the topic at a campaign rally.
“They want to ban straws. Has anybody ever tried those paper straws? They’re not working too good,” Trump said. “It disintegrates as you drink it, and if you have a nice tie like this tie, this would have no chance.”
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His campaign actually raised money selling Trump-branded straws during the race.
I thought it was a joke, but it’s true…the Trump campaign is selling plastic straws.
“Liberal paper straws don’t work.” pic.twitter.com/6PIgsELCAk
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) July 19, 2019
Obviously, there is no denying that plastic straws do end up littering the land and oceans, and unlike paper straws, they are not biodegradable.
But the downside to paper straws are the chemicals often used to treat them to make them water resistant enough to work at least for a short time. The chemicals are both toxic environmentally and can end up in the user’s bloodstream.
USA Today reported in August 2023 that paper straws contain “forever chemicals” called PFAS, which stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, PFAS have been linked to increased risks of some cancers, including prostate, kidney, and testicular, as well as decreased fertility in women, developmental delays in children, interference in the body’s natural hormones, and increased cholesterol levels.
The Food and Drug Administration approves the use of PFAS in limited amounts. They are found in cleaning products, cookware, food packaging, and food processing equipment.
A 2021 study found the presence of 21 PFAS in paper and other plant-based straws, but no measurable amounts in the plastic straws tested, according to USA Today.
The study looked at 43 brands of straws — five plastic, 29 paper, nine other plant-based — for the presence of 53 types of PFAS.
On balance, it seems the use of plastic straws is the common-sense choice.
They actually work, they are safer, and best of all, they are not woke.
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