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plastic straws

SB 51 MAKES STRAWS BY REQUEST AS OF 7/1/25

Senate Bill 51 Signed into Law

Plastic Free Delaware has been working to reduce the use of single-use plastic straws by restaurants and food vendors, and is building support for legislation which would restrict its use in dining establishments.  


In February 2023, SB 51 was introduced by Senator Trey Paradee and Representative Paul Baumbach in the Delaware General Assembly. It passed both the House and the Senate and was signed into law by Governor Carney.  The bill addressed plastic straws (making them available by request only), single-use plastic picks, and expanded polystyrene foam.  It takes effect for Delaware dining establishments on July 1, 2025.

DELAWARE LEGISLATURE TOOK ACTION ON STRAWS IN 2019

March 27, 2019 Delaware's House & Senate pass House Concurrent Resolution 17

HCR17 recognizes the issues of plastic pollution and the role of plastic straws, and requires the Delaware Restaurant Association to report back by May 1, 2020 on voluntary efforts its members have taken to curb plastic pollution.


Sabin Lowe, a Plastic Free Delaware Board member and co-chair of the Newark Charter School Marine Science Club provided testimony before both the House and Senate in support of HCR17.   Extra special thanks to Rep. Paul Baumbach, Rep. Valerie Longhurst, and Sen. Trey Paradee for their leadership on this effort.

First of all, if you have not seen this video, it's really all you need to see.


THEN CONSIDER


Although with a few exceptions, most people do not need a straw to drink their water, their soda or their cocktail when dining out.  Do you use one at home?   It is estimated that Americans use more than 180 billion plastic straws a year.  


Plastic straws are not recyclable.  Most end up in the landfill, or even worse, out in the environment where they can harm wildlife and marine animals. 

Data from Delaware

Along Delaware's coastlines, plastic straws are one of the most prevalent and pervasive types of litter found annually during the Coastal Cleanup which is only three hours in September once a year. Despite more than one hundred restaurants joining the plastic-straws-by-request-only movement, the number of straws found during the 2018 Coastal Cleanup actually INCREASED 50% to more than 2,800!


Plastic Straw Initiative

Plastic Free Delaware has launched an outreach initiative to diners and dining establishments alike.  Diners can request "no straw please," and PFD encourages restaurants to give straws only when requested, and we hope that those that are distributed will be biodegradable. 

Delaware Diners Deputized

When dining out, be sure to relay to your server, "no straw please."  If you forget, and one appears, use it as a conversation starter to ask the establishment to switch to a straws-by-request-only (biodegradable please) approach only.  You can refer them to this site, and the materials below to provide more information.

What's not to love?

Restaurants can:

  • save money by buying far fewer straws
  • decrease plumbing call costs
  • open up precious storage space
  • and save the environment!

In the News

New Castle County Moves to Reduce The Use of Plastic Straws


Last Straw For Plastic Straws? Cities, Restaurants Move To Toss These Sippers  NPR  5-31-2018


Companies And Regulators Move Toward Full Ban On Plastic Straws To Help Alleviate Pileup  NPR  5-31-2018


Want to combat plastic straw waste? Consider rewiring consumer psychology

2018-5-23 FOX NEWS - New York City is latest to consider banning plastic straws altogether (pdf)Download
Greene Turtle chain says goodbye to plastic straws - News Journal 5-17-18 (docx)Download
Cape Gazette 4-29-18 BIG CHILL BEACH CLUB (docx)Download
Cape Gazette 4-27-18 STRAWS screening & discussion (png)Download
News Journal 4-18-18 Restaurants Adapt STRAWS BY REQUEST ONLY policy (pdf)Download
Seaford-Laurel Star 11-2-17 No Straw November (pdf)Download
Grain - Newark Post 10-2-17 (pdf)Download
DELAWARE PUBLIC MEDIA - WDDE - 5-24-18 To protect marine environment, some Delaware businesses ditch plastic straws (docx)Download
COASTAL CLEANUP STATS FOR DELAWARE (docx)Download
CHRISTINA CLEANUP STATS (docx)Download
Baseline litter study - plastic impacts - 7-2-18 (pdf)Download

Our Straw Initiative Partners

Plastic Free Delaware - making a difference locally, doing Delaware's part globally.


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Plastic Free Delaware is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, EIN #85-2916447


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Plastic Free Delaware does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender expression, age, national origin, 

disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. 

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