Day 009 - 08 Jul 94 - Page 28


     
     1        It is not the wraps, it is not the coke cups, it is not
              the napkins.  The largest portion of our waste are the
     2        corrugated boxes.  Our waste characterisation studies show
              that one third of the waste that McDonald's has is
     3        corrugated and the majority of our restaurants recycle
              that.
     4
         Q.   So the majority are recycling one third of the waste, but
     5        two thirds of the waste, I think you said earlier, only a
              handful of stores were involved in recycling?
     6        A.  That is correct.  One third in general would be
              recycled by restaurants; the other two thirds is not
     7        recycled.
 
     8   Q.   Right.  Then there is the take away stuff which obviously
              you are not in a position to recycle?
     9        A.  Correct, but again our approach on the take away is,
              to the best of our ability, to monitor, keep track, of
    10        what is going on in the recycling industry and
              infrastructure, so what we create that is taken home can
    11        be recycled.
 
    12        For example, when I eat my meal I bring my packaging home
              to where I live.  Most, not all, but many parts of that
    13        I can put in my kerbside recycling bin.
 
    14   Q.   I think when you mention about, you try to make things so
              the customer can recycle the packaging; is that right?
    15        A.  Sorry?
 
    16   Q.   You try -- I am not clear of the exact words you used --
              to make the packaging so customers can recycle it if they
    17        take it away?
              A.  Yes.  One of our priorities is to make our packaging
    18        so that if at all possible it could be recyclable when
              taken home.
    19
         Q.   Would I be right in thinking that a few years ago a lot of
    20        McDonald's customers tried to help McDonald's recycle its
              packaging by sending it back to the head office?
    21        A.  I am not aware of that.  We received a lot of help
              from our customers.  We have a thousand restaurants
    22        recycling.  We have thousands, perhaps millions, of
              people, you know, helping us out in our recycling
    23        programme in our restaurants.  We did initiate, where
              I work in our home office in Oak Brook, we do have a
    24        recycling programme where we take in, you know, the
              packaging; when I eat my meal in our home office it is
    25        recycled.
  
    26   Q.   Are you aware of the McToxics campaign? 
              A.  Yes. 
    27
         Q.   That involved school children posting back the styrofoam
    28        they had collected, McDonald's waste styrofoam, and
              sending it back to McDonald's head office for you to
    29        recycle?
              A.  That is not how I know of the McToxics campaign.  What
    30        I know of the McToxics campaign was the terminology used
              by the citizens clearing house for hazardous waste.  There

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