Day 007 - 06 Jul 94 - Page 44


     
     1        substance?
              A.  It is a separate substance that will be combined to
     2        make another substance.
 
     3   Q.   At an earlier stage in the production of the final
              article?
     4        A.  Correct.
 
     5   Q.   Can we jump now to the 4th paragraph- issues surrounding
              polystyrene foam production.  Says Mr. Lipsett, "In 1987
     6        the plastic industry journal Modern Plastics described
              McDonald's as the largest single user of polystyrene, the
     7        chemical used to produce foam food packaging".  Are you
              conscious yourself from your own personal knowledge first
     8        of all whether that journal did make that assertion or
              not?
     9        A.  I am conscious that that journal did not make that
              assertion.
    10
         Q.   Can you remember what assertion that journal did make?
    11        A.  That journal did describe McDonald's as the largest
              user of polystyrene foam food service packaging.  So, he
    12        left off a few very important qualifiers.
 
    13   Q.   You mentioned construction.  What other uses does
              polystyrene have in the world beside food packaging?
    14        A.  I think its largest single use would be in protectice
              packaging for shipping electronics, or any other delicate
    15        articles, that you would not want damaged.
 
    16   Q.   When we get our chap and his CD player from the shop, the
              stuff around it is polystyrene foam, is it?
    17        A.  Yes, for protection.
 
    18   Q.   Have you thought what percentage of the US production of
              polystyrene foam in 1989/90 McDonald's might have been
    19        responsible for?
              A.  I recall making a calculation that we are
    20        approximately 6 per cent.
 
    21   MR. MORRIS:  That is 6 per cent of?
              A.  Polystyrene foam food service packaging.
    22
         MR. RAMPTON:  Polystyrene foam food packaging in the United
    23        States?
              A.  Yes.
    24
         Q.   Look at the next paragraph.  Maybe you cannot answer this-
    25        I do not know.   "Minimisation of Hazardous Waste.  The
              United States Environment EPA report released in 1986 
    26        ranked the polystyrene production process generates 
               ....(this is not English but I think we know what it 
    27        means) the fifth largest amount of toxic waste of any
              single chemical production process."  Do you know anything
    28        about that?
              A.  Unfortunately I do not know that for sure- whether
    29        that is the case or not.
 
    30   Q.   If you do not know it is correct to say; you do not know?
              A.  No.

Prev Next Index