McDonald's will replace plastic straws with paper ones in all its UK and Ireland restaurants, starting from September. It is the latest company to opt out of some single-use plastic products which can take hundreds of years to decompose if not recycled. The restaurant chain uses 1.8 million straws a day in the UK. "Reflecting the broader public debate, our customers told us they wanted to see a move on straws," the firm said. This decision follows a successful trial in selected restaurants earlier this year. The move to paper straws will be completed next year.