Plastic ones were axed in all UK branches as part of a green drive — even though the fast food giant has said they were “100 per cent recyclable.”
But The Sun can today reveal an internal Mac memo admits the new paper versions — hated by customers — are not actually recyclable and must be binned and burned.
McDonald’s decision to swap recyclable plastic straws for “eco-friendly” paper versions which cannot be recycled was today branded “a silly stunt.”
It dumped the 1.8 million plastic straws used by its UK restaurants each day as part of a huge green drive.
An insider said: “When McDonald’s introduced paper straws it was getting pats on the back for being environmentally responsible.
“But it seems like it was a stunt to appease green campaigners because the things go straight in the rubbish. It’s ridiculously stupid.”
The paper straws have infuriated thousands of McDonald’s customers who claim they make milkshakes hard to drink and dissolve in cola.
The firm has admitted that its plastic straws were “100 per cent recyclable” but said it changed to paper because “more can be done.”
One recycling expert on Sunday said McDonald’s had blundered by trying to appease eco-campaigners.
Stuart Foster of plastic recycling charity RECOUP said: “Everyone is switched on environmental discussions but the big firms need time to understand what they’re doing.”
Former Climate change secretary Ed Davey said: “It really can’t be that difficult to replace plastic straws. People will be left wondering where this was just greenwash or a monumental cock-up.”
McDonald’s pulled its plastic straws in September and vowed to use paper ones in all its 1,361 branches across the UK and Ireland.
The internal memo admits: “Paper straws are not yet recyclable and should be disposed of in general waste until further notice.”
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