San Francisco lawmakers propose bill banning plastic straws

San Francisco lawmakers are expected to roll out legislation Tuesday that would ban plastic straws in the city’s eateries.

Supervisors Katy Tang and Ahsha Safai plan to unveil legislation that would stop restaurants, bars and coffee shops from handing out plastic straws, stirrers or cocktail sticks with beverages, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

The lawmakers want businesses to serve compostable or reusable alternatives instead.

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“Why do we have straws all the time?” Safai told the paper. “And if we’re going to have straws, it’s easy to have an alternative that’s much more recyclable or reusable or washable.”

“It’s sort of this moment where everyone is realizing just how many straws people are using on a daily basis, and that we really need to get a handle on this, or else our environment is going to suffer,” Tang added.

If passed, the proposed bill would take effect in July 2019.

The law would also require other plastic products — such as beverage lids, condiment packets and napkins — to only be made available to customers upon request or at self-serve stations. Another measure in the bill mandates that events hosting 100 or more people on city property offer reusable cups as an option to at least 10 percent of those in attendance. 

The move comes after several cities in California, including Malibu, Davis, and San Luis Obispo, passed ordinances regulating the use of plastic straws.