Do American Voters Want To See More Single-Use Plastic Or Less?

President Donald Trump might want to see the return of plastic straws, but will this move resound with American voters.

Trump signed an executive order on Monday overturning a decision by his predecessor Joe Biden to phase out government purchases of plastic straws, as well as plastic cutlery and packaging.

The order also requires the development of a national strategy to “end the use of paper straws”.

But the executive order also comes just days after non-profit Oceana released the results of a new nationwide poll, which show an overwhelming majority of U.S. voters support policies which reduce the use of single-use plastics.

According to survey, 81% of respondents support reducing the amount of plastic that is produced, with widespread support for requiring companies to reduce single-use plastic and foodware.

Oceana’s U.S. plastics campaign director, Christy Leavitt said President Trump is “going in the wrong direction on single-use plastics” in an interview.

Leavitt added the Oceana survey also highlighted the broad bipartisan support for addressing plastic pollution and policies, including government policies to reduce the purchasing and use of single-use plastics.

The survey also found more than three quarters (78%) of U.S. voters support national policies that reduce single-use plastic foam.

And 80% of respondents support state and local policies that reduce single-use plastic foam.

It also found 85% of respondents support increasing the use of reusable packaging and foodware, and 82% of support reducing the amount of single-use plastic state and federal governments buy and use.

Leavitt added many voters are concerned because of the impact plastics are having on the ocean, and on human health.

“The public is clear that they are concerned about plastic pollution, and they want action to reduce single-use plastics and move to refillable and reusable products,” said Leavitt.

“It's really important elected officials at all levels of government and business leaders hear that message, and that it will lead to real change.”

Leavitt said officials at state level were already taking action on the issue, including the recent restrictions coming into effect on plastic foam foodware in California and Oregon.

“It is rare that we get 81% of American voters to agree on anything, and the survey shows whether you are Democrat, Republican or independent, you have concerns about the growing problem of plastic pollution,” she told me.

“In the U.S, state and local governments have really been leading the way on addressing the plastic pollution problem, but at the national level we are behind many other countries,” she told me

“More than 90 countries around the world have taken action on single-use plastics.”

Moms Clean Air Force’s senior analyst for petrochemicals, Cynthia Palmer said many people are rightly uncomfortable when they learn that PFAS, phthalates, and other plastics chemicals are leaching into their food in an email.

Palmer added plastics production is on track to triple by the mid-century.

“The survey makes clear that voters across the political spectrum do not want to sacrifice our fellow humans (nor our penguins and dolphins) for the sake of drinking from a single-use plastic straw,” said Palmer.

“That is not the future we want for our children.”

But some people have welcomed the executive order. Michael Laurier, chief executive of Symphony Environmental said the focus on single use plastics like straws, fail to address larger issues, like plastic packaging in a statement.

Laurier said bans on peripheral items such as straws, cotton-bud sticks and balloon sticks are “nothing more than gesture politics”.