8,500,000,000

[Mick F]

I read and hear that there are 8.5bn plastic straws thrown away every year in UK.

If there's 60,000,000 people in UK, that means that every single man, woman and child throws away 1,400 per year each.
Family of four must get through 56 boxes a year, or more than one box a week.

Who's using my share?
I've not used a any sort of drinking straw for years and years and years.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
After Star Bucks announced they will recycle 99.whatever % yesterday by 2020....................by giving £75 /ton for the waste
Imagine how and who will collect all that plastic for little reward

I saw some cartons on the side of road yesterday and thought about collecting and returning to local coffee slop........

Its a sad state of water bottles and coffee fix that we need before we get to work or even exist through the day.
How did we do it walking and cycling to work in the war...................

[iandriver]

Certainly, that figure is astonishing. The amount of times I order a soft drink in a chain pub and they automatically put a straw in that I immediately remove and it goes straight in the bin. I've always tried to remember to say no straw please. The un-necessary nature of it is simply staggering.

It wouldn't surprise me if big industry is managing to throw away more than is actually used. Any single serving juice carton etc. will have a plastic straw on the side, the supermarket isles are full of them. The damn things are everywhere.

[Mick F]

I was in South Carolina USA back in 1986.

I was amazed to find - nay, gobsmacked - that folk would leave home in their cars for work without breakfast, and then call in at a "drive-thru" for coffee and drive away with it, drinking it on their way.

That sort of thing was unheard of back in Blighty back then, but seems commonplace now. Cars are even made with cup-holders seemingly custom made for Costa etc.

[mjr]

Its a sad state of water bottles and coffee fix that we need before we get to work or even exist through the day.
How did we do it walking and cycling to work in the war...................

More pubs, public water fountains and taps. My village of roughly six streets (probably four back in the war, with Ivy Close and The Paddocks not then built) and one pavement used to have two pubs and a church where you could get a drink - all now gone.

Certainly, that figure is astonishing. The amount of times I order a soft drink in a chain pub and they automatically put a straw in that I immediately remove and it goes straight in the bin. I've always tried to remember to say no straw please. The un-necessary nature of it is simply staggering.

It's always annoyed me, long before concerns about plastic waster, as you either have to take it out and drip on the counter or table, or dodge it when you drink. Does anyone know why they do that? It's in a flipping drinking glass anyway. How did the practice start?

It wouldn't surprise me if big industry is managing to throw away more than is actually used. Any single serving juice carton etc. will have a plastic straw on the side, the supermarket isles are full of them. The damn things are everywhere.

Is it better or worse to buy single-serving bottles of juice? More plastic but all recyclable. Juice fountains with washable glasses seem rarer in cafes but maybe they'll make a comeback now and no longer be confined to hotel buffets.

[mercalia]

what was wrong with the old waxed? paper straws?

[tod28]

I read and hear that there are 8.5bn plastic straws thrown away every year in UK.

If there's 60,000,000 people in UK, that means that every single man, woman and child throws away 1,400 per year each..

My abacus makes that 141 straws pp per year, assuming the billion is is the financial sense of 1,000 million. Still 140 more than I might use in a year!

[Tangled Metal]

what was wrong with the old waxed? paper straws?

Part of the issue with recycling coffee cups is that they have a coating on the paper used. It cannot be recycled in the same stream as normal paper waste. They actually have to be hand picked out. I'm guessing this will apply to waxed paper straws, only harder to spot on the conveyor belt.

I bet back in the day when they used them there was a lower requirement so less of an issue with landfill. Plus lower public awareness that landfill/waste was an issue.

Anyway, not all old ways would be considered acceptable now such as these non-recyclable waxed paper straws/cups.

WRT eating breakfast out in America it was very common right back to the 50s. My grandfather was American and in his family a lot had immaculate and fully gadgeted up kitchens since the 50s or 60s. However they were spotless because they never cooked. They ate out for every meal. I think some made their own coffee but that's it. That was in the 80s I found that out but they had been doing it for quite some time before then.

[Mick F]

I read and hear that there are 8.5bn plastic straws thrown away every year in UK.

If there's 60,000,000 people in UK, that means that every single man, woman and child throws away 1,400 per year each..

My abacus makes that 141 straws pp per year, assuming the billion is is the financial sense of 1,000 million. Still 140 more than I might use in a year!

8,500,000,000 divided by 60,000,000 is the same as 8,500 divided by 60.

8,500 divided by 60 = 141


Factor of ten out.

[Audax67]

Nay worry, lad, NASA have done worse.

[Mick F]

[iandriver]

8,500,000,000 divided by 60,000,000 is the same as 8,500 divided by 60.
8,500 divided by 60 = 141

Which is the same as 850 divided by 6 (Just being smug, sorry )

[[XAP]Bob]

Nay worry, lad, NASA have done worse.

Well to be fair...

They divided a yard into inches, and got 91.5cm as an answer, but only read the number - and so did 91.5" instead...

[661-Pete]

It appears that plastic straws are going the way of the dodo, in time.

Won't affect me much, I reckon - though it'll certainly be an inconvenience to many people. Buying single-portion fruit juice cartons, those that have a straw attached, for consumption on the hoof, might be badly hit. We do that on occasion, e.g. on a longer-than-usual ride when our drinks-bottles run dry...

But it's that ban on cotton buds that might affect me. In common with many, like me, who are fast approaching the 'hearing-aid' generation (I've bought myself a pair but seldom use them - yet!) - I now and then use one of these cotton buds, dipped in warm water, to keep my ears wax-free. Yes I know every packet of the things carries the dire warning DO NOT USE IN THE EAR but I carry on regardless. I even asked the audiologist whether I was doing myself damage, and she said, it's OK, everyone else does it, but be gentle and don't apply any pressure. N.B. Do not use if your ears are already badly waxed up - then you need to get them syringed.

So what alternatives will there be? The hearing-aid centre can supply thingies to do the job. At a price!

Anyway, it's the littering and flushing-down-the-loo brigade who are causing all the environmental harm. When will people learn?! We try to make sure of being 'good citizens': all the non-recyclable plastic we use, goes into landfill, which I suppose is the least-worst option. Or is it?

[Mick F]

Whatever happened to those packs that you pulled apart the "wings" on the top, then pulled the seal. You could pour or drink from them.
Milk and fruit juices came in them. Waxed cardboard.

These things: