Day 007 - 06 Jul 94 - Page 65


     
     1
         Q.   Well, a thousand years?
     2        A.  I do not know.
 
     3   Q.   You have never looked into it?
              A.  I would have to check on a thousand years, I guess.
     4
         Q.   Right, but having heard these questions, is that a new
     5        line of thought that you might want to look into now?
              A.  What?
     6
         Q.   Concern about whether McDonald's packaging ends up
     7        incinerated or not?
              A.  That is something we do consider.  We try to make
     8        packaging that would have the least impact in
              incinerators.  As I already said, the least impact in
     9        landfills and the most easily recycled, because in the US
              that is the three means of disposal, so we try to make it
    10        easy, that it would fit into any of those three, but we do
              have not any control over which one it goes into; that is
    11        for the municipalities to say.  We do not run the
              landfills or the incinerators.
    12
         Q.   So really you saying disposal is not your problem?
    13        A.  I did not say that at all.  I said we design so that
              it has the least impact on disposal.
    14
         MR. JUSTICE BELL:  What he said, for better or worse, is that
    15        they try and produce packaging which when made of a
              particular substance lends itself best to disposal in the
    16        case of polystyrene the three ways which were raised.
              There we are.  If you want to address comment to me that
    17        is not satisfactory or shows lack of proper foresight or
              consideration, then do so, but I do not think we are going
    18        to get much further with further questions.
 
    19   MR. MORRIS:  OK.  When you introduce new packaging, do you try
              to keep the cost down of any new developments?
    20        A.  Cost is balanced with environmental considerations,
              crew operation considerations and customer convenience
    21        considerations, yes.
 
    22   Q.   Could you name a packaging that you have brought in that
              was more expensive than the previous design, if there is
    23        one -- there might not be?
              A.  The current Big Mac package in the US we have recently
    24        introduced cost more than its predecessor.
 
    25   Q.   Can you explain what the two are?
              A.  The previous package was a wrap in a colour which had 
    26        its given unit weight.  We introduced recently a tissue 
              paper container that is a rigid box, that is actually 
    27        lighter than the wrap and colour combined weight.  It
              costs more than the wrap and colour would have to the
    28        store.  It also contains post-consumer recycled material.
              So, in looking at all of the things that it brought in the
    29        operational benefit, then we did recommend a container
              that was more expensive to the stores.
    30
         Q.   Is there a recycling programme post-consumer in America,

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