A lawmaker from New Jersey is unhappy with fast food restaurants and stores because they’re having a hard time following a law that’s made a big difference in the state. State Senator John McKeon wrote to the 50 biggest food places in New Jersey, telling them they need to obey the ban on single-use plastics, especially plastic straws.
McKeon said, “The ban on single-use plastics has made a big impact by cutting down on plastic pollution. Big restaurants, convenience stores, and fast food places need to follow the law and stop giving out plastic straws.”
Plastic straws are bad because they can’t be recycled, they don’t break down naturally, and they’re often littered in the environment. The ban on single-use plastic bags in the state started on May 4, 2022. Clean Ocean Action, which cleans beaches twice a year, found that there were 35% fewer plastic bags, straws, and foam containers in 2022 compared to 2021.
Between May and December 2022 alone, about 5.5 billion plastic bags and 110 million paper bags were kept out of landfills in New Jersey. Americans use a lot of plastic straws every day, but the law still lets businesses give them out if customers ask, especially for people with disabilities.
McKeon’s letter to the CEO of McDonald’s mentioned that about 8 million tons of plastic end up in the oceans every year. He also said that by 2050, there could be more plastic in the ocean than fish. McKeon wants fast food and convenience stores to do more than just talk about being eco-friendly. He wants them to prove it by only giving out plastic straws when people ask for them.
