Trump signed an executive order to end use of paper straws. Will NC have to ban them?
A new order issued by President Donald Trump citing “an irrational campaign against plastic straws” marks a national effort to end the use of the paper versions.
The presidential action issued Monday, Feb. 10, directs leaders of federal government agencies and departments to “eliminate the procurement of paper straws” and ensure they are not offered inside agency buildings.
It also calls for the development of a “National Strategy to End the Use of Paper Straws” within 45 days.
“These things [paper straws] don’t work,” Trump said as he signed the executive order. “I’ve had them many times. On occasion, they break. They explode. If something’s hot, they don’t last very long — like a matter of minutes, sometimes a matter of seconds. It’s a ridiculous situation.”
What does the executive order say about paper and plastic straws?
Paper straws are “nonfunctional,” made with chemicals that may harm human health, are more expensive to produce compared to plastic straws and sometimes are individually packaged in plastic, undermining the potential environmental benefits, according to the executive order.
It lays out three main steps for the federal government:
- Heads of executive agencies and departments should stop procuring paper straws and stop providing them in agency buildings.
- Executive agencies should end policies that disfavor plastic straws.
- The Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and relevant agencies should create, within 45 days, a “National Strategy to End the Use of Paper Straws,” which should address: the termination of all policies within the executive branch that are “designed to disfavor plastic straws,” contract policies and terms with entities (including states) that ban or penalize using or buying plastic straws and “all other available tools to achieve the policy of this order nationwide.”
Does the executive order ban paper straws in NC?
The executive order gives directions to employees of the federal government — not state or local governments.
The national strategy should provide recommendations for dealing with entities, which could include states, that ban or penalize the purchase or use of plastic straws. The strategy’s goal, however, is to “alleviate the forced use of paper straws nationwide,” according to a White House fact sheet.
Some places, such as New York City, Seattle and Charleston, South Carolina, have bans or restrictions on plastic straws. Those regulations will remain in effect.
In the past, North Carolina has taken steps to prevent similar regulations on plastic straws and other products.
A provision in the state budget passed in 2023 outlaws any rules that “restrict, tax, charge a fee, prohibit or otherwise regulate the use, disposition, or sale of an auxiliary container,” The News & Observer previously reported. (An auxiliary container includes straws, bags, take-out containers and other items used to carry goods or consume food and drinks.)
Other executive orders from the Trump administration
This is the latest in a series of actions Trump has taken since he was sworn into office. Here are a few others:
- North Carolina’s public universities can’t require students to take general education classes related to diversity, equity and inclusion, a new policy directly related to a January executive order, The N&O previously reported.
- Trump also signed an executive order that seeks to end birthright citizenship. This action has since been challenged in a lawsuit brought by more than a dozen states including North Carolina, The N&O reported.
- In January, Trump signed multiple executive orders regarding tariffs to be imposed against Mexico, Canada and China.
This story was originally published February 14, 2025 at 3:05 PM with the headline "Trump signed an executive order to end use of paper straws. Will NC have to ban them?."
