The Fairmont Southampton will ban plastic straws from this weekend in a bid to help protect the ocean from pollution.

Guests at the resort who still prefer to drink with a straw will be given eco-friendly, 100 per cent compostable straws instead from World Earth Day tomorrow.

The Last Straw campaign was started by the Fairmont Southampton team in the wake of a new global sustainability movement.

Wouter Aarts, director of food and beverage at the hotel, said: “With a growing awareness for global socio-environmental issues, come bigger responsibilities to do our part in keeping Bermuda beautiful and environmentally friendly.

“Our commitment to eliminating conventional plastic straws is an important step in the right direction.”

Plastic waste, including straws, make up most of the marine debris found in the seas and on shorelines in Bermuda and around the world.

About half-a-billion plastic straws are thrown away in the US and Britain every day, with many ending up in the sea.

The plastic trash is a potential killer of marine life.

It is estimated that a plastic straw takes about 200 years to break down, and can pose a serious threat to animals such as turtles, fish and sea birds if eaten.

The Fairmont Southampton’s Turtle Hill Golf Club is a long-term backer of the Sea Turtle Project, and the resort has raised more than $40,000 in funds for charity and community projects on the island this year.

AccorHotels, a global hotel giant and parent company of Fairmont, is active around the world in communities and is committed to sustainable development and solidarity through Planet 21, a programme that brings together employees, guests and partners to work for sustainable growth.

The new Planet 21 committee of employees from the island resort covers all key departments and meets on a regular basis to discuss its efforts and potential projects.