McDonald's Changes Packaging; Pledges to Offset Environmental Impacts

Posted: 17-Nov-2003; Updated: 16-Dec-2003

Over the next several months, McDonald's will change the packaging for several of its sandwiches from paper wraps to rigid containers and will switch to bleached white carryout bags, which it had discontinued more than a decade ago in favor of environmentally preferable unbleached brown bags. The new bags will have 30% recycled content (all postconsumer), as compared with 100% in their current bags (30% postconsumer).  These changes, to take effect nationwide, will mean significantly higher environmental impacts compared to the packaging being replaced. After discussions with Environmental Defense, however, McDonald's has committed itself to offset these negative impacts by making improvements elsewhere.

The longstanding relationship between Environmental Defense and McDonald's allowed us to secure this promise from the company.  "When I met with McDonald's CEO Jim Cantalupo this summer, he assured me he would do what was needed to offset the impacts fully," said Krupp. "We will monitor progress on this commitment and will hold the company accountable for meeting these goals. McDonald's has gained a clear reputation as an environmental leader and, going forward, sustained improvements in packaging will be needed to maintain that leadership."

In addition to being bleached with chlorine compounds, the new bags contain less recycled content, and the new sandwich cartons use more material than the packaging they replace. Negative impacts on the environment will include increased use of wood, water, energy and chemicals, increased release of air and water pollutants and increased solid waste. 

McDonald's has committed itself to offset these increases through environmental improvements in its other packaging.  Specifically, it will offset 100% of the increased impacts by January 2004 and an additional 5% by March 2004. Changes in the works include increasing the recycled content of napkins and switching to lighter-weight paperboard for some fry cartons.

"We are disappointed that McDonald's has chosen to make these changes," said Fred Krupp.  "We believe these changes are unnecessary for packaging with a useful life typically on the order of minutes.  But we are pleased that McDonald's has pledged to ensure that the overall impact of its packaging on the environment does not increase."