Plastic straws removed from Brunel restaurants

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Plastic Straws are officially being removed from a number of Brunel University restaurants and venues as the fight to save the environment continues.

The student bar; Locos and the student club; The Academy have stopped buying and distributing plastic straws in a bid to help save the oceans and support the #TheLastStraw campaign.

The straws are used for an average of 20 minutes, but take a lifetime to decompose. The effect of the slow decomposition is leaving thousands of seabirds, marine animals and sea turtles dead every year say environmentalists.

Brunel University uses on average 2000 plastic straws a month and the Union of Brunel Students has decided this needs to change. Locos and The Academy have now replaced all plastic straws with paper and they will now be given upon demand, rather than automatically.

Plastic straws are a lot cheaper than paper ones; about £25 cheaper per 1000. However, the university believes the benefits outweigh the costs.

Aidy Aziz, Venue Manager at Union of Brunel Students, spoke out on the issue saying: “The Union of Brunel Students are striving to make a positive impact on the future of plastic waste in our oceans. Plastic straws are the first step and future steps are to remove disposable plastic cups from our venues.”

However, plastic straws will still be available for students with disabilities who require a straw which bends.