(Feb 11): President Donald Trump signed an executive order reversing an effort by his predecessor, Joe Biden, to phase out the use of plastic straws within the federal government and replace them with paper products, targeting an environmental reform that has long drawn the Republican’s ire.

“I don’t think that plastic is going to affect the shark very much as they’re eating, as they’re munching their way through the ocean,” Trump said Monday as he signed the order at the White House.

The move is believed to undo the Biden administration’s goal of phasing out federal procurement of single-use plastics — covering items beyond just straws — from food service operations, events, and packaging by 2027, and from all federal operations by 2035. The text of the executive order was not immediately provided by the White House.

Biden had hailed the move as a significant step toward reducing pollution from plastics, by targeting the US government’s purchasing power. Plastic waste has come under fire globally as it has been seen as a contributor to ocean pollution and harmful to birds, sea mammals and other animals who can become ensnared in plastic that was thrown away.

But efforts to encourage the use of paper straws instead of plastic in government and beyond have been criticised by Trump and allies in conservative circles, who say paper straws do not work as well and see the push as overreach and dismissive of the preferences of US consumers.

Trump has long been a critic. During the 2020 campaign cycle, on his website he claimed that “liberal paper straws don’t work.” And last week, he made announced his intentions to undo Biden’s mandate.

“Crooked Joe’s MANDATE, “NO PLASTIC STRAWS, ONLY PAPER,” IS DEAD! Enjoy your next drink without a straw that disgustingly dissolves in your mouth!!!,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

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