Facebook.com/mcdonalds2431USHwy1S McDonald's will start testing plastic straw alternatives at select US locations this year. In the UK, the company has decided to adopt biodegradable paper straws. The announcement comes amid calls from environmental activists urging McDonald's and other food conglomerates to ditch plastic straws. Several US cities have already enacted their own bans. Following calls from environmentalists, McDonald's is now testing alternatives to plastic straws in the US. The fast-food giant will trial them at select locations later this year, according to USA Today.