PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Maine’s largest city is banning plastic straws from a cafe located inside City Hall and calling on other businesses to do the same.
Portland officials say the city is removing the straws from Clock Tower Cafe. City Manager Jon Jennings made the decision at a July 18 committee meeting after a presentation about single-use plastic from Phoebe MacDonald, an elementary school student.
Sustainability & Transportation Committee Chair Spencer Thibodeau says he’s glad the city’s making the move, and that his committee “challenges all Portland businesses to take measures to do the same.”
Several cities around the country have enacted straw bans. The anti-straw movement picked up steam recently when Starbucks announced it would get rid of them. The bans also have attracted backlash from some disability rights advocates.
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