Environment

California Bans Plastic Straws In Restaurants

Starting Jan. 1, the only way customers can get a single-use straw is if they ask for one.

California Bans Plastic Straws In Restaurants
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Full-service restaurants in California will no longer serve customers single-use plastic straws starting in the new year.

Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill Thursday banning plastic straws in establishments where the primary purpose is serving food. The only way customers can obtain a single-use straw is if they ask for one. 

The new law says restaurants can provide straws made of non-plastic materials, like paper, pasta, sugar cane, wood or bamboo.

California is the first state to ban plastic straws in dine-in restaurants. Several cities and large corporations have banned single-use straws or began phasing them out in a push to help the environment.