The Walt Disney Company announced Thursday that it will eliminate single-use plastic straws and plastic stirrers at all locations across the world by mid-2019.
The plan will eliminate more than 175 million straws and 13 million stirrers used every year.
The company said it will transition to using refillable amenities in hotels and cruise ships, which will reduce plastic used in guest rooms by 80 percent.
The company said it will cut back on plastic shopping bags in parks, hotels and cruise lines. Disney will likely offer reusable bags for a lower price, too.
Disney said it will also work to eliminate polystyrene cups.
Eliminating plastic straws and other plastic items are meaningful steps in our long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship, said Bob Chapek, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences, and Consumer Products, in a statement. These new global efforts help reduce our environmental footprint, and advance our long-term sustainability goals.
The change will not impact Tokyo Disney, which is owned by The Oriental Land Company, according to USA Today.
Disney said in its announcement that it has often worked to improve the environment. For example, the company said it directed $70 million from the Disney Conservation Fund to protect wildlife.
The company said it hopes to reduce emissions by 50 percent by 2020 as well.
Disney has always been inspired by nature and it is a uniquely powerful brand that inspires, educates, and entertains, all at the same time, said Dr. M. Sanjayan, CEO of Conservation International. Todays announcement is more than about reducing single-use plastic waste, its also about showing millions of kids and adults from around the world the many ways we can change our daily habits to care for the oceans and protect nature that sustains us all. It also builds on Disneys long-standing commitment to conservation and environmental stewardship, a legacy that stretches from the highlands of Peru to the islands of the South Pacific.
Disney joins several other companies looking to cut back on single-use straws.
Starbucks announced earlier this year it will phase out plastic straws by 2020, according to The Associated Press.
McDonalds also said it will eliminate plastic straws in the UK and Ireland.
Alaska Airlines announced it will drop its plastic straws and stirrers as well.
And Seattle became the first city in the U.S. to ban plastic straws from restaurants and bars.
The plan will eliminate more than 175 million straws and 13 million stirrers used every year.
The company said it will transition to using refillable amenities in hotels and cruise ships, which will reduce plastic used in guest rooms by 80 percent.
The company said it will cut back on plastic shopping bags in parks, hotels and cruise lines. Disney will likely offer reusable bags for a lower price, too.
Disney said it will also work to eliminate polystyrene cups.
Eliminating plastic straws and other plastic items are meaningful steps in our long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship, said Bob Chapek, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences, and Consumer Products, in a statement. These new global efforts help reduce our environmental footprint, and advance our long-term sustainability goals.
The change will not impact Tokyo Disney, which is owned by The Oriental Land Company, according to USA Today.
Disney said in its announcement that it has often worked to improve the environment. For example, the company said it directed $70 million from the Disney Conservation Fund to protect wildlife.
The company said it hopes to reduce emissions by 50 percent by 2020 as well.
Disney has always been inspired by nature and it is a uniquely powerful brand that inspires, educates, and entertains, all at the same time, said Dr. M. Sanjayan, CEO of Conservation International. Todays announcement is more than about reducing single-use plastic waste, its also about showing millions of kids and adults from around the world the many ways we can change our daily habits to care for the oceans and protect nature that sustains us all. It also builds on Disneys long-standing commitment to conservation and environmental stewardship, a legacy that stretches from the highlands of Peru to the islands of the South Pacific.
Disney joins several other companies looking to cut back on single-use straws.
Starbucks announced earlier this year it will phase out plastic straws by 2020, according to The Associated Press.
McDonalds also said it will eliminate plastic straws in the UK and Ireland.
Alaska Airlines announced it will drop its plastic straws and stirrers as well.
And Seattle became the first city in the U.S. to ban plastic straws from restaurants and bars.
