McDonald's Is Getting Rid Of Plastic Straws In Its UK Restaurants

McDonald's is pledging to get rid of plastic straws at all of its restaurants in Britain, where the chain operates about 1,300 locations around the country. Furthermore, the company is going to stop giving customers straws unless they specifically ask for one. This would help cut down on single-use plastic straw waste in the U.K., where citizens are estimated to use about 8.5 billion per year.

"Customers have told us that they don't want to be given a straw and that they want to have to ask for one, so we're acting on that," McDonald's chief executive Paul Pomroy told Sky News. "Straws are one of those things that people feel passionately about, and rightly so, and we're moving those straws behind the front counter."

Britons visiting the Golden Arches moving forward will have to make a special request for the item and sooner than later, they won't be made out of plastic.

"The other thing we're looking to do is to move to recycled paper on the straws and biodegradable paper straws and that test, I'm really proud to say, will start next month," Pomroy told the outlet. The plastic straws currently provided by the burger giant are also recyclable, but customers reportedly prefer the paper versions.

On a global scale, the Illinois-based chain has also promised to omit plastic and foam cups from its restaurants. By the end of 2018, each beverage container will be made with fiber-based packaging from certified renewable or recyclable sources. The same redesign is expected for all of the brand's packaging by 2025. So say goodbye to polystyrene and plastic, because they're headed to the graveyard with these 15 McDonald's food items you'll never see again.