Seattle on Sunday became the first major U.S. city to ban plastic straws and utensils. The full ban went into effect on July 1, a decade after the city first introduced a measure requiring restaurants to use only recyclable and compostable materials. Plastic straws and utensils were originally exempt from the ban because of a lack of viable compostable alternatives. ADVERTISEMENT Restaurants and businesses like food trucks and grocery stores may provide compostable plastic or paper straws on request, and flexible plastic straws will still be available for customers with a medical necessity, according to The Seattle Times. Any of Seattle’s 5,000 restaurants found to be violating the ban could face a fine of up to $250. More than 200 restaurants in the city voluntarily adopted the ban last year, stopping millions of straws from entering the waste stream, according to Lonely Whale, an environmental group running the “Strawless in Seattle” campaign. Seattle is believed to be the largest U.S. city to pass such a ban, though businesses and smaller municipalities have passed similar measures in an effort to cut down on ocean pollution. Other major cities, including San Francisco and New York, are considering similar bans. U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May announced earlier this year that the U.K. would become the first country to ban plastic straws nationwide as part of a plan to get rid of plastic waste by 2042. --Updated on July 2 at 9:52 a.m.<doc-sep>Imagine what it would feel like not to be able to marry the love of your life for fear of losing the benefits you need to survive. (Because most benefits are based on income, disabled people often lose them if they get married — the amount you’re allowed to have in your bank account does not double when you get married, and both people’s bank accounts are counted. This is known as the SSDI “marriage penalty.”) Imagine working all day only to be paid less than a dollar an hour thanks to laws that allow disabled people to be “time-tested” and paid less than minimum wage in places known as sheltered workshop. Imagine being in severe chronic pain and not being able to get your pain medication because your state has imposed overly restrictive limits on pills. These are common realities faced by individuals with disabilities, a community that is much bigger than many realize — nearly 1 in 5 Americans have a disability, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and more than half of those report that their disability is severe.<doc-sep>I take pride in keeping up with burgeoning social movements, but the battle against plastic straws was one I seem to have missed. I got caught up this week, after I heard Starbucks’ announcement on Monday, July 9, that the company will eliminate single-use plastic straws in all of its branches over the next year. Seattle became the first major U.S. city with a plastic straw ban on July 1. Miami Beach, Malibu, San Luis Obispo and San Francisco all have anti-straw legislation in the works. California’s Legislature is also considering a bill that will prohibit restaurants statewide from handing out plastic straws like candy. If it passes, plastic straws will become an item “on request,” like the secret menu at In-N-Out Burger. I’ll confess to feeling flummoxed by the sudden influx of news about how the plastic straw has become internationally taboo. What can I say? As an unrepentant beverage gulper, I’ve never cared for plastic straws myself. Plus, the country is coming apart at the seams, so I’ve had a lot of other things on my mind. But I made it my business to catch up with the issue this week. I read what the Ocean Conservancy had to say about the issue. Straws are “among the top 10 items collected every year during Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup,” writes the organization on the “outreach and education” section of its Skip the Straw campaign. Eco-Cycle, a zero-waste organization in Boulder, Colo., estimates that Americans consume 500 million single-use straws every day. That’s an average of 1.6 straws per person, and a tremendous amount of waste that builds up in our landfills and clogs our oceans. I found all of this alarming, and apparently, I’m not alone. The anti-straw brigade has a slick celebrity campaign. Lonely Whale, a foundation co-founded by the actor Adrian Grenier, has a (slightly hilarious) YouTube video showing an octopus slapping straws from the mouths of luminaries, including model Brooklyn Decker and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. Oscar-winning actor Tim Robbins is apparently narrating an anti-straw-pollution documentary. So there I was, ready to march to the barricades in support of plastic bans. Life is filled with muddy moral choices, endlessly complicated problems and ugly compromises with hideous people. A straw ban was simple, clean and effective. If single-use plastic straws are taking hundreds of years to break down in the environment, doing nothing beyond choking dolphins in the process, why not ban them? Especially when there are alternatives, like paper straws. Of course, no sooner had I settled into the righteousness of straw bans than I came across something to the contrary. Thanks to the #StopSucking hashtag, I learned that the disabled community is furious about straw bans. Curious, I asked Lawrence Carter-Long about it. Carter-Long is the communications director of the Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund in Berkeley. He told me that the angry tweets I was seeing were indeed reflective of a perspective I had not considered. He explained that those of us who are able-bodied can easily cope with the imperfect efficiency of compostable or reusable straws. Alternatively, we can just do without. But for many people with disabilities, flexible plastic straws are the best way to drink liquid or food. There’s no technology that can replace them yet. “Most paper and silicone straws aren’t flexible, which arguably eliminates the most important feature used by people with mobility disabilities,” Carter-Long said. “Metal, glass and bamboo present dangers for people who have difficulty controlling their motor functions — from stroke survivors to people who have cerebral palsy.” Oh. There’s more. Carter-Long told me that many cities, restaurants and other organizations are blasting ahead with straw bans before they consult people with disabilities. For example, the Seattle ordinance banning single-use straws has a yearlong exception for people with disabilities. But it’s up to businesses to decide whether they want to provide single-use straws at all. Some of them have chosen not to do so, effectively shutting out customers with disabilities. “All of this controversy could’ve been avoided if the people making the decisions had just thought to ask actual disabled people about what policies would actually work,” he said. I found myself agreeing with Carter-Long. The environmental movement has frequently failed to listen to women, children and people of color, so it didn’t shock me that it had failed to listen to people with disabilities. But as a society, we’re not going to get any progress on environmental protection if we trample on civil rights and equal access in the process. So everyone considering a straw ban had better be prepared to think of solutions that work for everyone. Personally, I’m trying Twizzlers. Caille Millner is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cmillner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @caillemillner<doc-sep>ORIGINAL POST: July 12, 2018 at 5:57 p.m.: Plastic straws have been a big topic of discussion as of late. It's no surprise that they're not great for the environment, but if a switch to plastic lids (à la Starbucks) is making you scratch your head, here's what you need to know. Because of their size, plastic straws can literally slip through the cracks when going through the recycling process. They often end up in the ocean, where they can do damage to sea creatures who mistake them for food. And when they're not recycled, they wind up in landfills. Plastic lids, while not ideal, are much easier to recycle. Stainless Steel Straws, $10, amazon.com Even if you're not a big straw drinker, the problem is undoubtedly huge — according to an estimate by the National Park Service, Americans use millions ofT straws every single day. As more attention is paid to the issue thanks to celebrity campaigns and horrific videos, like the one of a sea turtle with a straw stuck in its nose, companies and cities have taken strides to reduce the amount of straws used each day. Here are some of the biggest players so far. UPDATE: September 21, 2018 at 10:36 a.m. California Beginning January 1, California will be the first state in the U.S. to ban restaurants from giving out plastic straws to patrons, unless they specifically ask for one. Governor Jerry Brown signed the bill, which only applies to dine-in restaurants, and "exempts the biggest sources of straw pollution" (fast-food joints, delicatessens, coffee shops, and other outlets with takeout orders). The governor argues in favor of the law's limited impact—perhaps it will inspire California residents to "limit their plastic consumption on their own, without the state having to mandate it." UPDATE: September 11, 2018 at 6:30 p.m. United Airlines Starting in early November, United Airlines will replace the plastic stirrers (often used as straws or picks) handed out on flights with a more eco-friendly bamboo version. The airline expects the elimination of plastic stirrers to be the first step toward a larger sustainability initiative. UPDATE: July 26, 2018 at 12:00 p.m. Disney On July 26, Disney announced plans to "eliminate single-use plastic straws and plastic stirrers at all owned and operated locations across the globe by mid-2019." Per the company's announcement, the change will cut down on more than 175 million straws and 13 million stirrers annually. Styrofoam cups will be eliminated across properties as well, and fewer plastic shopping bags will be available in Parks, Resorts, and on Disney Cruise Line ships. This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Aramark The corporation that oversees dining programs in schools, hospitals, offices, and sports venues across 19 countries is reducing single-use plastic straws by 2022. Starting in September, Aramark will begin phasing out plastic stirrers and straws and switching over to eco-friendly straws. They're also working to reduce plastic bag usage and expanding reusable water bottle and coffee mug options. Starbucks Early in July, Starbucks announced a move to get rid of plastic straws globally by 2020. Starbucks will switch to compostable straws to be given to customers upon request and when they order a Frappuccino, and put the "sippy cup" lids on regular drinks. Smaller coffee chains, like Intelligentsia and Joe Coffee, have announced a switch to compostable straws or all-out ban as well. McDonald's While McDonald's U.K. stores are already taking steps to reduce plastic straws in stores, McDonald's Corporation has set a goal to shift 100 percent of guest packaging (cups, straws, boxes, etc.) to renewable or recycled sources by 2025. This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. American Airlines Even though straws aren't usually given out on flights, those little plastic stirrers are often provided. Beginning this month, American Airlines will eliminate straws from its lounges and serve drinks with a biodegradable, eco-friendly straw and wood stir stick. In November, in-flight stir sticks will switch over to a bamboo alternative. Alaska Airlines also made the switch this month. Royal Caribbean The cruise line announced in June that all 50 ships across its fleet will be free of plastic straws by the end of 2018. The company owns Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara Club Cruises, TUI Cruises, and Pullmantur Cruceros. For the past year, they've been operating under a "by request only" policy when it comes to plastic straws. Bacardi Bacardi, which launched a #NoStraws campaign in 2016, announced this month they are furthering their effort to reduce straw usage. The brand will eliminate single-use plastic straws from branded events, music activations, and the Bacardi Rum Truck, and will use biodegradable paper cups at all U.K. events. Fernando Trabanco Fotografía Getty Images Fox Restaurant Concepts In June, restaurateur Sam Fox banned plastic straws in all 50 restaurants he operates around the country. At places like Zinburger and The Greene House, eco-friendly straws will be offered to those who need them for health reasons, but only by request. Seattle At the beginning of the month, Seattle became the first city in the United States to prohibit vendors from providing customers with plastic utensils or straws, unless they are made of compostable paper or compostable plastic. Vancouver As part of the Canadian city's Zero Waste 2040 strategy, plastic straws and foam take-out containers and cups will be banned as of June 1, 2019. More Cities & States While restaurants are free to make decisions individually, entire cities and states will take a bit longer to enforce action. Cities like Miami Beach and Fort Myers in Florida and Malibu and Berkeley in California have already banned plastic straws, and in New York City, a bill was introduced in May to ban straws. The state of California is considering enacting a straws-upon-request policy, too. As the issue gains attention, more are likely to follow.<doc-sep>
(CNN) — Daniel Gilbert uses plastic straws to drink his coffee in the morning. For much of his life, the 25-year-old has carried them with him everywhere. He’s had to, because all plastic straws aren’t the same. Gilbert needs them to be the right length, and they have to be able to handle hot temperatures. And many restaurants don’t offer what he needs. The Owensboro, Kentucky, resident was born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a genetic disorder that causes the muscles to progressively deteriorate. As his muscles weakened, it became harder for him to pick up something like a cup, so Gilbert began carrying straws when he reached his twenties. One night, he left his straws at home while he was at a bar with his friends. Typically, he uses bendable ones to position the straw closer to his mouth. But all the bar had was plastic stirrers. “I had to manage, but it took a lot of effort,” he said. “It was really exhausting.” Gilbert and other people with disabilities fear that a growing effort to ban plastic straws will limit their accessibility at restaurants, on airplanes and at other service establishments. Starbucks announced Monday that by 2020, it will phase out the use of all plastic straws in its cafes. This came a little more than a week after Seattle, the birthplace of the coffee giant, banned plastic straws and utensils from the city’s restaurants, bars and food trucks. American Airlines said Tuesday that it too will eliminate straws from its in-flight beverage service starting in November, replacing them with stir sticks. The announcement follows a similar move by Alaska Airlines. The bans are meant to be a proactive step in easing the burden that plastic waste has on our environment. But they also may make life more complicated for people in the disabled community who rely on these tools. 01:06 - Source: CNNMoney See Starbucks' straw-free lid Why plastic is better than alternative materials Going without straws can mean struggling through the physical motion of putting a drink to a mouth, or leaking liquid into the lungs, or choking. Emily Ladau, an activist and writer on disability issues, has Larsen syndrome, a disorder that affects the development of bones. Ladau is primarily affected in her lower body, so she does not rely on straws, but opts for them because it can be difficult to maneuver in a wheelchair and drink at the same time. For people who need straws, materials other than plastic just don’t do the job. Paper? It dissolves, or you can bite through them. Metal? It can get too hot or too cold, and can even be painful for those with symptoms like jitters. Reusable straws can easily be forgotten at home. “Other types of straws simply do not offer the combination of strength, flexibility, and safety that plastic straws do,” Disability Rights Washington, a nonprofit with offices in Seattle, said in a letter it coauthored to the city. Gilbert has tried to do his part to educate others on why plastic is the most efficient material, but he often gets told he’s wrong. “I’d be more than happy to use more environmentally friendly straws,” he said. “(The disabled community) isn’t trying to be anti-environment. We’re just protecting disabled people.” 03:23 - Source: CNN Beyond Plastic: Is it time to go strawless? Starbucks, when asked about steps they would take to accommodate the disabled, said in an email, “Customers are still able to get a straw – made from alternative materials – and we will work with the disability community to ensure we continue to meet their needs going forward.” It is unclear what those materials will be or if plastic straws would still be available. The London Plane, a Seattle restaurant, started using compostable plastic straws before the ban, which may be an ideal compromise. But Kate Melges, the plastics campaigner at environmental group Greenpeace USA, said those straws still pose a threat as they must be incinerated at high temperatures to be broken down, which causes air pollution. “You can’t just throw them in your garden,” she said. Why focus on straws? The National Park Service estimates that Americans use 500 million “drinking straws” a day. Melges, who monitors ocean pollution, told CNN that plastic straws make up a small percentage of the debris found in the oceans and other bodies of water. On cleanups, she finds many more food wrappers and plastic bottles than straws.