TRENTON, NJ – Plastic straws are banned in New Jersey. Under Governor Phil Murphy’s law, restaurants and fast-food places can no longer give out plastic straws with your order. Instead, they are required to provide paper straws, sometimes, ironically packaged in plastic.
But customers complain that the paper straws are not good enough. They get mushy and deteriorate after prolonged exposure in your drink. But, the law was created with a loophole that wasn’t advertised much by the governor.
You can simply ask for a plastic straw and most places will provide them.
Legislation enacted to curtail the use of plastic straws in New Jersey’s eateries has encountered an unanticipated hiccup. Although the law prohibits the default provision of plastic straws, it allows these items to be handed out if a customer requests, creating an easy circumvention to the newly established ban.
The policy, which took effect this month, aimed to lessen the environmental impact of plastic waste. It mandated that restaurants, bars, and other food-service businesses refrain from automatically providing plastic straws with beverages, a move applauded by environmentalists.
However, the clause that permits the provision of plastic straws upon request has raised eyebrows among the proponents of the legislation. Critics argue that this provision nullifies the ban’s purpose, making it merely symbolic.
Despite the loophole, several establishments have taken a step further by eliminating plastic straws, adhering to the spirit of the law rather than its letter. Meanwhile, discussions are underway among lawmakers to amend the legislation and close the loophole to ensure the objective of reducing plastic waste is met.