Since he took office just a few weeks ago, Donald Trump has been responsible for making some significant changes. Now he is set to sign another executive order that is causing a stir on social media.
Donald Trump has his pen ready to sign the executive order that will be ‘ending the ridiculous Biden push for paper straws, which don’t work.’ He shared this on his social media platform, Truth Social, saying “BACK TO PLASTIC!”
The Biden administration began the initiative last summer that aimed to stop the use of single-use plastics in federal operations. They were working along with the private sector, and state, local, tribal, and territorial governments to seek the reduction of plastic pollution impacts.
In an effort to do so, the Biden administration was planning to phase out the purchase of single-use plastics on a federal level from food service events and operations. This was to take place by 2027 and in all federal operations by 2035.
The order said: “The Biden-Harris Administration recognizes that pollution can occur at every stage of the plastic lifecycle, disproportionately impacting communities with environmental justice concerns, contributing to loss of biodiversity, and exacerbating the impacts of climate change.”
Prior to this, the government was supporting a goal that would bring about an end to plastic pollution by 2040. This was spoken about by the former EPA administrator, Michael Reagan when he said the following in August 2023.
“Plastic pollution negatively impacts our environment and public health with underserved and overburdened communities hit hardest.”
The executive order was signed in 2022 and called for agencies to minimize waste and support recycled product markets.
In response, the former Interior Secretary, Deb Haaland said: “The Interior Department has an obligation to play a leading role in reducing the impact of plastic waste on our ecosystems and our climate.
“As the steward of the nation’s public lands, including national parks and national wildlife refuges, and as the agency responsible for the conservation and management of fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats, we are uniquely positioned to do better for our Earth.”
Included among the products considered single-use are bottles, straws, cutlery, cups, bags, and polystyrene beverage and food containers that are designed to be used one time. In America, approximately 500 million plastic straws are used daily.
The efforts to ban plastic straws gained ground in 2010 when a video of a turtle with a straw up its nose surfaced. Seattle became the first city in the United States to issue a ban in 2018.
Many people have been critical of the effectiveness of alternative paper straws, and the president was among that number. There were also health risks found associated with them in a 2023 study, including forever chemicals. Other alternatives, including metal and glass straws, are not much better than plastic for the environment but they do last longer.
Plastic straws are part of a larger issue associated with the fossil fuel industry. Almost 100% of plastics are made from fossil fuels and contribute to the pollution of Earth’s oceans, ecosystems, and waterways.
Plastic manufacturing emits up to 213 million metric tons of greenhouse gases annually and they emit further greenhouse gases when breaking down after being exposed to sunlight.
