8,500,000,000

[fossala]

There are reasonable uses for straws. My Grandad had a stroke a few years before he died and half his face dropped meaning it was hard for him to drink directly from a cup. Straws helped him keep some independence for a few years. Saying that, nothing stopped my Nan from buying reusable straws, guess it wasn't something she was thinking about.

[softlips]

.. But it's that ban on cotton buds that might affect me. . . . .

They used to have paper tubes not plastic.

[Flinders]

what was wrong with the old waxed? paper straws?

+1. I remember them, they had coloured spiraling lines on. Much nicer than the plastic ones.

[Flinders]

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:maxresdefault.jpg

I remember them all too well. You ended up with about a third of the contents about your person a lot of the time because they were difficult to open. And the spout often ended up torn messily so they wouldn't pour.
Anyone remember the triangular ones that replaced the glass milk bottles in schools? they must have had some coating on the inside, they made the milk taste just horrible.

[AlaninWales]

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?

The same alternatives that already exist https://ingreens.co.uk/product/cotton-buds/ for example. Other brands also available.