Potect the environment

McDonald's has reportedly admitted that its new paper straws, rolled out last year to help "protect the environment," can't be recycled—unlike the plastic versions they replaced. The straws were introduced to all 1,361 McDonald's restaurants in the United Kingdom and Ireland after a trial last year. But the fast food giant acknowledged that the new versions are too thick to be processed by its recyclers.

"While the materials are recyclable, their current thickness makes it difficult for them to be processed by our waste solution providers, who also help us recycle our paper cups," a McDonald's spokesman told the UK's Press Association news agency. McDonald's UK and Ireland has not yet responded to CNN's requests for comment. The issue was first revealed by The Sun newspaper, which published an internal McDonald's (MCD) memo saying that the company's paper straws "are not yet recyclable and should be disposed of in general waste until further notice." When the firm announced the introduction of paper straws in June 2018, it said the move was "part of wider efforts to protect the environment."

Then-Environment Secretary Michael Gove congratulated McDonald's on "making this significant contribution to help our natural environment" when the initial move was made last year. But the new straws were unpopular even before the latest revelation. Numerous social media users complained that they became soggy in drinks, and a petition calling on the firm to bring back their old straws has been signed more than 50,000 times.

麦当劳在报道中承认，他们去年推出的帮助“保护环境”的新纸吸管无法像被换下去的塑料吸管一样回收。去年进行试验后，英国和爱尔兰所有的1361家麦当劳都启用纸吸管。但是这家食品巨头承认，新版本太厚了，回收商无法进行处理。

“虽然材料是可以回收的，但是它们目前的厚度使得我们的垃圾处理商很难处理。垃圾处理商也帮我们回收纸杯。”麦当劳一位发言人告诉英国国家通讯社。麦当劳英国及爱尔兰目前还未回应CNN的评论请求。《太阳报》首先透露了这次事件。该报发布了一项麦当劳内部备忘录，称该公司的纸质吸管“目前还不可回收，在得到进一步通知前，应该跟普通垃圾一样处理。”这家公司在2018年6月宣布推行使用纸吸管时，称该举动是“为保护环境做出的更多努力的一部分”。

去年麦当劳开始行动时，时任环境大臣迈克尔·戈夫庆祝麦当劳“为保护我们的自然环境做出巨大贡献”。但是即使在最新的真相揭露之前，新版吸管就不受欢迎。大量社交媒体用户抱怨，吸管在饮料里变得软趴趴的，超过5万人在要求麦当劳换回老版吸管的请愿书上签字。