McDonald's has reportedly admitted that its new paper straws, rolled out last year to help "protect the environment," can't be recycled — unlike the plastic versions they replaced.

　　麦当劳在报道中承认，他们去年推出的帮助“保护环境”的新纸吸管无法像被换下去的塑料吸管一样回收。

　　The straws were introduced to all 1,361 McDonald's restaurants in the United Kingdom and Ireland after a trial last year.

　　去年进行试验后，英国和爱尔兰所有的1361家麦当劳都启用纸吸管。

　　But the fast food giant acknowledged that the new versions are too thick to be processed by its recyclers.

　　但是这家食品巨头承认，新版本太厚了，回收商无法进行处理。

　　"While the materials are recyclable, their current thickness makes it difficult for them to be processed by our waste solution providers, who also help us recycle our paper cups," a McDonald's spokesman told the UK's Press Association news agency.

　　“虽然材料是可以回收的，但是它们目前的厚度使得我们的垃圾处理商很难处理。垃圾处理商也帮我们回收纸杯。”麦当劳一位发言人告诉英国国家通讯社。

　　McDonald's UK and Ireland has not yet responded to CNN's requests for comment.

　　麦当劳英国及爱尔兰目前还未回应CNN的评论请求。

　　The issue was first revealed by The Sun newspaper, which published an internal McDonald's (MCD) memo saying that the company's paper straws "are not yet recyclable and should be disposed of in general waste until further notice."

　　《太阳报》首先透露了这次事件。该报发布了一项麦当劳内部备忘录，称该公司的纸质吸管“目前还不可回收，在得到进一步通知前，应该跟普通垃圾一样处理。”

　　When the firm announced the introduction of paper straws in June 2018, it said the move was "part of wider efforts to protect the environment."

　　这家公司在2018年6月宣布推行使用纸吸管时，称该举动是“为保护环境做出的更多努力的一部分”。

　　"The government's ambitious plans, combined with strong customer opinion, has helped to accelerate the move away from plastic and I'm proud that we've been able to play our part in helping to achieve this societal change," Paul Pomroy, CEO of McDonald's UK and Ireland, said in a press release at the time.

　　“政府野心勃勃的计划，结合顾客的强烈意见，帮助加速远离塑料制品的举动。我很自豪，我们可以在帮助实现这种社会性改变上方面出一份力。”麦当劳英国及爱尔兰的CEO保罗·波默罗伊在那时的一份新闻稿中说道。

　　The plastic straws previously used could be recycled, but the British government has moved to ban plastic straws by 2020 and encouraged chains to ditch the products.

　　之前使用的塑料吸管可以回收，但英国政府提议到2020年禁止使用塑料吸管，并鼓励连锁企业抛弃那种产品。

　　Then-Environment Secretary Michael Gove congratulated McDonald's on "making this significant contribution to help our natural environment" when the initial move was made last year.

　　去年麦当劳开始行动时，时任环境大臣迈克尔·戈夫庆祝麦当劳“为保护我们的自然环境做出巨大贡献”。

　　But the new straws were unpopular even before the latest revelation.

　　但是即使在最新的真相揭露之前，新版吸管就不受欢迎。

　　Numerous social media users complained that they became soggy in drinks, and a petition calling on the firm to bring back their old straws has been signed more than 50,000 times.

　　大量社交媒体用户抱怨，吸管在饮料里变得软趴趴的，超过5万人在要求麦当劳换回老版吸管的请愿书上签字。

　　今日词汇

　　acknowledge[ək'nɒlɪdʒ]

　　v. 承认;注意到

　　The government has finally acknowledged the problem.

　　政府终于承认了这个问题。

　　文中to acknowledge that ...，属常见用法，指“承认/认为…”。

　　Most people now acknowledge that there is a crisis.

　　现在大多数人认为存在危机。