Kickstart: Ban battles in Ohio and Hawaii

There's been a battle in Ohio, one of the top states for plastics industry employment, over the issue of preemption laws.

A few Ohio cities and counties have passed plastic bag bans, but the Republican-controlled legislature is pushing a law that would prevent local bans. This story probably sounds familiar, because it's a debate that's been playing out in states around the country.

But a surprise twist came this week, when GOP Gov. Mike DeWine said he doesn't think the state should interfere with local bag bans.

"I think this would be a mistake. I think the state government should allow local communities to do what they think is best in regard to this area," DeWine told the Statehouse News Bureau.

Meanwhile, in Hawaii, the debate is moving in the other direction. The Honolulu City Council passed legislation this week that would heavily restrict a long list of single-use plastics on Oahu.

It's not a surprise, but unlike Ohio, Hawaii's plastics industry is small. We've been hearing from leaders of a few companies that fought hard against the legislation. But it now appears to be headed for the mayor's signature.

Late yesterday came word that Steve Russell, the longtime head of the plastics division of the American Chemistry Council, is retiring from ACC in early February.

ACC said Russell oversaw the plastics division's sustainability programs, scientific research and public outreach, and was instrumental in forming the World Plastics Council, an umbrella group of plastics associations worldwide, and in expanding the Global Plastics Alliance.

Personally, I think one of the highlights of Russell's tenure was the Marine Debris Dialogue that ACC put together in June 2017. I wrote at the time: "The fact that ACC called this meeting is a good sign. I remember 13 years ago when the plastics industry publicly clashed with environmental groups on marine debris outreach. That attitude is gone."

Enjoy your retirement, Steve.

If you really need a straw to drink your margarita — and I say you don't — then Jose Cuervo has a biomaterial solution.

The company worked with scientists at BioSolutions Mexico to develop straws made from polypropylene, agave fiber and biodegradation agents. The company says the straws will decompose up to 200 times faster than regular plastic.

Jose Cuervo is big on finding uses for agave fibers, which are a byproduct of tequila manufacturing.

But c'mon … who will admit to drinking a margarita from a straw?