Final straw as food franchise moves to paper

LONDON - McDonald's on Wednesday became the latest big company in the United Kingdom to say it was the last straw for plastic - with plans to start using drinking straws made from paper.

The move came after estimates that 8.5 billion straws are used in Britain every year - or more than 23 million a day - which is contributing to the death of marine animals, according to the Marine Conservation Society.

The fast-food giant joins a list of nightclubs and restaurant venues - including Pizza Express, pub chain Wetherspoons and supermarket Waitrose - which have pledged to dump plastic straws for biodegradable alternatives.