Day 060 - 02 Dec 94 - Page 16


     
     1        A.  You cannot, no; that is why I asked, did it apply to
     2        food packaging?
     3
     4   MR. MORRIS:  There is a law, is there, against using recycled
     5        polystyrene?
     6        A.  I do not know if it is law, but certainly Lin Pac would
     7        not produce a product for us from recycled polystyrene used
     8        for food use.
     9
    10   Q.   Why not?
    11        A.  Because you may not know the source of the original
    12        polystyrene.
    13
    14   Q.   But they would know the source if it came from McDonald's
    15        restaurants?
    16        A.  If you could guarantee it did.
    17
    18   Q.   They are your supplier.
    19        A.  How would you check that it actually did?
    20
    21   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I may have been under a misunderstanding
    22        about that.  Using recycled polystyrene coming into contact
    23        with food, that may not be advisable because you do not
    24        know what use the polystyrene has previously been put to?
    25        A.  That is possible, unless you have a completely closed
    26        loop.
    27
    28   Q.   If you knew that it had previously been McDonald's clam
    29        shells or foam cups which had contained food or drink
    30        previously, could you use those or would the fact that it
    31        had had food, perhaps, lying there with stale food in it,
    32        would that itself be a bar, or would that be something you
    33        could get over?
    34        A.  I have always been told, my Lord, that you could never
    35        use recycled polystyrene directly against a food product.
    36        Now, whether that is by law or not, I am not sure.  You
    37        could certainly ask Perseco that question. They would know
    38        that.
    39
    40   Q.   You do not know the precise reason for that yourself?
    41        A.  No, not precisely.
    42
    43   MR. MORRIS:  But you are in charge of polythene on this kind of
    44        matter, are you not, purchasing?  What kind of packaging --
    45        you give the orders to Perseco, do you not?
    46        A.  Perseco provide a complete purchasing service to us.
    47
    48   Q.   Of course, but they are only your suppliers, are they not?
    49        A.  No, they advise us, they advise us on law.
    50 
    51   Q.   You make the rules? 
    52        A.  No, we do not make the rules. 
    53
    54   Q.   So your supplier dictates to you, do they, what your
    55        policies are?
    56        A.  No, they have a specification that they work to, but as
    57        far as government regulations may be concerned or industry
    58        regulations may be concerned, it is their duty to advise
    59        us.  We do not dictate to them, nor would we wish to.
    60

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