China's plastic straw ban faces backlash from bubble-tea fans Today's best articles Daily business briefing Solving COVID newsletter When the Chinese government banned the use of disposable plastic in restaurants this year as part of its newest five-year plan, it unwittingly attracted criticism from a very vocal group â bubble-tea drinkers. That's because when drinking bubble tea, the straw is essential. How else can you suck up all those chewy tapioca balls? Most restaurants and cafes in China were using conventional polypropylene straws before the ban, and they made the switch to paper straws en masse. But customers were having none of it.