Get ready to sip that soda through a hollow pasta noodle, or any one of the many new non-plastic straw alternatives. The Town-wide ban on plastic straws and stirrers goes into effect December 12.
Deputy Town Manager Jay Boodheshwar says many of the restaurants and retail stores on the island are already offering paper or other alternative material straws, and stirrers.
The ban on plastic straws was to have been enacted at the same time as a ban on single use plastic bags and polystyrene cups. But the bags ban was blocked by possible legal action on behalf of the Florida Retail Association. So as of December 12, no more plastic straws and stirrers.
As for the plastic bags and cups… the Town of Palm Beach is joining with several other municipalities to pressure the Florida legislature to allow local governments to make their own rules regarding use of plastics.
Meantime, the Palm Beach Civic Association is hosting an event on 12/12, entitled “Protect Our Paradise”, designed to provide education to the public on the subject of plastic waste in our oceans, and other timely environmental concerns. (Return to Newsletter)
