As environmental activists put plastic straw bans at the top of their agendas, companies around the country are discussing reusable alternatives. One of the world's largest food distributors and plastic straw providers, McDonald's, put the decision up to a vote at the annual shareholders meeting.

The proposal was rejected by affiliates, and as of now, McDonald's will not be joining the anti-straw movement. According to a press release, President and CEO Steve Easterbrook said the initiative only received 7.65% support from shareholders.

One key factor that lead to the rejection of the proposal was the fact that many saw this anti-straw movement as redundant to McDonald's ongoing environmental pledges.

Before the meeting, the board of directors read this statement to the shareholders, encouraging them to vote against the initiative, “[T]he requested report is unnecessary, redundant to our current practices and initiatives, and has the potential for a diversion of resources with no corresponding benefit to the company, our customers, and our shareholders, particularly in light of our ongoing packaging sustainability efforts,” Mercury News reported.

For now, the golden arches will continue to have single-use straws at all 36,000 locations.