Marriott International has adopted a plan to remove disposable plastic straws and plastic stirrers from its more than 6,500 properties across 30 brands around the world.

The plastic straw initiative will take full effect at both managed and franchised properties by July 2019, giving hotel owners and franchisees time to deplete their existing supply of plastic straws,

Once fully implemented in one year, the company could eliminate the use of more than 1 billion plastic straws per year and about a quarter billion stirrers. Plastic straws never fully decompose.

In conjunction with its plastic straw initiative announcement, the company is also eliminating plastic straws from its corporate headquarters.

In February, more than 60 hotels in the United Kingdom eliminated plastic straws and began offering consumers alternate straws upon request.

Marriott International is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of more than 6,500 properties in 30 leading hotel brands in 127 countries and territories.