Fact of the Day: 09/09/2021

Today’s fact may not be fun, but it needs to be said. 

In 2019, an estimated 500 million plastic straws were being used each day in the United States alone. Since then, some cities and companies have tried to eliminate plastic straws, but, for the most part, we all still have easy access to them. 

Different kinds of plastics take different lengths of time to biodegrade (break down). According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in Australia, plastic straws take about 200 years to biodegrade. That means that each of the approximately 180 billion straws used in 2019 in the U.S. will stay around for 200 years more. Some plastics take even longer to biodegrade—toothbrush plastic, for example, takes over 500 years, according to WWF Australia. 

These colossal numbers add up and pose a significant threat to the environment. Think about that next time you order a smoothie at a juice bar. Do you really need that plastic straw?

Reference(s): 

• https://www.wwf.org.au/news/blogs/the-lifecycle-of-plastics#gs.auqt2l
• https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/news-plastic-drinking-straw-history-ban

Fact Author: Ace

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