Starting next January 1st, California will start its first state-wide ban on plastic straws.

Starting next January 1st, California will start its first state-wide ban on plastic straws. The law applies to dine-in restaurants, but allows restaurants to provide plastic straws for customers who request them and at fast-food outlets. California is the most populous state in the U.S. and it joins a growing list of areas that have banned single-use plastic straws. For violators of the new law in California, the fines will be $25 per day after a few violations with a yearly cap of $300. Many establishments have switched to compostable and biodegradable alternatives as the world fights plastic waste.