HK to Ban Single Use Plastic Straws

Politics International Politics
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【Now News】The first phase of the “plastic-free” initiative will be implemented on the 22nd of this month. Some Taiwanese beverage shops have indicated that they have not found suitable alternative straws. Some Legislative Council members believe that authorities should maintain communication with the industry and provide assistance.

Recently, the weather has been hot, and many people are seen holding Taiwanese beverages. However, starting next Monday, they might have to use paper or bamboo straws.

This Taiwanese beverage shop, which has 10 branches across Hong Kong, uses about 5000 straws a day. However, they have yet to find a cost-effective alternative that does not affect the taste and will temporarily switch to polylactic acid (PLA) biodegradable plastic straws, which will also be banned after the “plastic-free” period. They hope to find an alternative within the six-month adaptation period.

Mr. Lin, the owner of the tea drink shop: “Paper straws become soft too quickly, and bamboo straws are too expensive. During this adaptation period, we will first use PLA material straws, also as a contribution to environmental protection.”

Authorities have established an online green utensil platform offering 31 types of straws, but the owner has browsed through them and none are to his liking.

Mr. Lin: “Those are generally more expensive, about 30 to 40 percent more than our previous suppliers.”

Some Legislative Council members believe that the government should keep in communication with the industry to help find suitable alternatives.

Legislative Council member (Election Committee) Jiang Yuhuan: “If it’s really hard to find affordable alternatives, the government might need to help. This is only the first phase, and the second phase might be even more difficult. While searching for alternatives, I hope the government will take this opportunity to learn more from the opinions of businesses and the public during the first phase, instead of pushing measures forcefully. After implementation, there are consequences; we need to see if the market can adapt or how long it might take.”

The Environmental Protection Department earlier stated that during the adaptation period, they would visit multiple dining establishments to understand their problems and difficulties, and they will not enforce penalties on businesses that violate the rules during the six-month adaptation period.

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I don’t understand how virtually all businesses across Taiwan have already found suitable replacements over the last couple of years (or gone straw-less completely) but this one owner in HK isn’t able to.

Oh no. That’s so expensive. :roll_eyes:

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this is from HK though man. The ban on plastic straws and utensils will become effective on 22-Apr in HK, it’s rage all over there.

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Whoops lol

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The sadly ironic part is the measures put forth didn’t work in Taiwan. Loads of straws still. Even right now, today. Even the dine in no disposable cup thing didn’t hold fast. Mcdonalds alone just changed their cups like this month or 2 lol. It’s a slow game. I get it. But a farce to be sure. Entitled cucks whining about nothing. Take their plastic cups away too, the privileged princesses. Wait til their organs fail, then they will act fast. Rinse and repeat.

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Are you joking? They are everywhere.

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You are so much more polite than me. I respect your restraint with such morons (strawmen, not Mr Hong kong)

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Really? I definitely receive way more paper straws or, even more often, straight-up zero straws whenever I buy a drink.

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I rarely receive paper straws in taipei

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How does that even work with bubble tea? Do they make tthose wide ones in paper? how do you break through the plastic with a paper straw?

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No idea. I don’t drink bubble tea. :man_shrugging:t2:

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Yes. Plastic straws are still everywhere. As said, it’s interesting how the push has basically failed. But. Baby steps. The plus side is there are alternatives now. People that care can easily say no to whatever wasteful pointless packaging is offered. Be it bag, fork or straw. Consumers hold all the power on this issue.

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Really? Where in town did you got that gives more paper straws , and that you do not see plastic? I see lots of plastic straws still.

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Nobody ever gives me straws. They all have plastic lids that you need to peel open the lids and drink from the rim of the cup.

Also, I can’t tell you how many ice coffees I’d had to drink through a hot coffee lid.

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Fun fact. Take the lids back home and eighty-three them. Weigh some straws. Lids are more plastic.

Ahah! Says the smart man. “But the old lids were plastic too”

Yes, deduct that weight of the old lid and compare that result with the new thicker sippy cup lids and compare to straws. I like to give people room for evolution. And this needs discussing so they cma evolve. Because it’s a bit bonkers.

@DKaoshuing I see paper straws more in prissy/fancy/entitled styled coffee shops. If they advertise books Ina coffee shop, almost guaranteed they have either paperstraws or no straws. My issue with paper is that it’s a sheep problem. Uneducated or people that just don’t care want to market a story. Fine. But it’s cringey as fuck.

It’s easy to sip a drink, no straw. Which makes the whole thing a bit dumb. Certai. Jelly/cassava/bean=grain/etc drinks aside.

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Plastics aren’t the issue. We use and recycle plastics every day. The issue is plastic straws, as they don’t get properly sorted by recycling machines due to their shape.

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Wooden chopsticks and plastic spoons. I prefer it when they ask me to take it rather than giving it to me by themselves cus i never use them and so i am forced to bin them.

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But you said this

So I was curious what shops give you paper straws, since here I see very few or can not remember any, unlike in EU

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I said:

But to answer your question about paper straws, I usually get them when I order a drink at a bar or a restaurant.

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There are mountains of plastic bags that is used to pack merchandise that are simply thrown out before the item even ends up in your hand. I’ve unpacked so many boxes of Christmas stuff at Walmart, we end with mountains of plastic bags.

Instead the government wants to go after plastic straws. That is so tiny compared to the mountain of trash that other aspect of retail generates.

Or allow plastic straws but not make them disposable. Basically have it collected for reuse. I’ve used one plastic straw for years… they’re durable enough for it.

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