McDonald’s paper straws cannot be recycled, report finds

Not ideal.

McDonald's new paper straws, described as "eco-friendly" by the US fast food giant, cannot be recycled.

In 2018, plastic straws were gotten rid of by the restaurant, in favour of paper straws which were said to be more environmentally friendly. But new information has revealed that the new paper straws are not yet "easy to recycle" and should instead be put into general waste. McDonald's has since said it is working to find a solution to this issue, and as first reported by The Sun, paper straws should be in the general waste bin for the time being. "As a result of customer feedback, we have strengthened our paper straws, so while the materials are recyclable, their current thickness makes it difficult for them to be processed by our waste solution providers, who also help us recycle our paper cups," a spokesman for McDonald's has said. The firm switched from plastic straws to paper ones in its restaurants in the UK and Republic of Ireland in autumn of 2018. Some customers were unhappy with the new straws, saying they dissolved before a drink could be finished, with many people finding milkshakes particularly hard to drink, while others thought it was a welcomed change. Irish fast-food restaurant Supermac’s also recently announced that it planned to remove all plastic straws from its outlets and replace them with paper ones.