San Francisco aims to clean up litter, curb pollution

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A new effort is underway in San Francisco to clean up litter while curbing pollution. San Francisco lawmakers today unveiled legislation to ban "plastic straws." And not just straws, but also coffee stirrers or cocktail sticks.

Supervisors Katy Tang and Ahsha Safaí introduced their ordinance at "Boba Guys" on Fillmore.

RELATED: Berkeley edges toward banning plastic straws

The store offers only "reusable" and "compostable" straws for their popular boba teas.

That would become a requirement under this proposal.

Backers say it would help reduce litter in the streets of San Francisco and improve the environment.

Marine life can be harmed by plastics. A sea turtle, discovered two years ago in Costa Rica, suffered after a straw got loged up its nose.

The images of the sea turtle became a rallying cry for action.

RELATED: Viral sea turtle video fuels campaign against plastic straws

"Our planet earth is going to suffer if we don't take steps now to reduce the amount of plastic waste that we consume every day and that we are discarding onto our streets," said Tang.

Other Bay Area cities are also taking steps. Berkeley is considering a plastic straw ban as well as a 25-cent surcharge on disposable cups and containers.

Oakland is considering making plastic straws available upon request, already adopted in Alameda and Santa Cruz.

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