Decade of Environmental Progress: Tenth Anniversary of Environmental Defense/McDonald's Alliance 1990-1999

Posted: 01-Jan-1999; Updated: 07-Feb-2002

• Packaging Reduction ----- 150,000 tons of packaging
• Recycled Products ------ $3 billion purchased
• Recycling ---------- 1 million tons (corrugated) recycled
• Energy Efficiency ------ 510 million kilowatt hours reduced

DID YOU KNOW?
150,000 tons of packaging eliminated         + 1 million tons of corrugated recycled         + 510 million kilowatt-hours reduced	=	Keeping Peoria, Illinois (pop. 110,000) trash-free for 10 years         + Eliminating the energy use of 14,500 homes for 10 years

PACKAGING REDUCTION

Implemented an ongoing Waste Reduction Action Plan, initiated in partnership with Environmental Defense in 1990-1991. Eliminated 150,000 tons of packaging, including:

1990?reduced thickness of sundae cups
1991?reduced size of napkins by one inch
1992?reduced basis weight of Happy Meal bag
1993?reduced back flap of fry carton
1994?reduced thickness of trash can liners
1995?replaced hash brown cartons with bags
1996?changed to thinner carry-out bags
1997?decreased weight of in-store trays
1998? converted to sandwich wraps for fish sandwich
1999?introduced insulated wraps for Quarter Pounder sandwich

RECYCLED PRODUCTS

1. Created one of the first corporate "buy recycled" programs, McRecycle USA.
2. Purchased nearly $3 billion worth of products containing recycled materials during the 90?s.
3. Introduced more than 200 recycled products for constructing, equipping and supplying McDonald?s restaurants.
4. Expanded the use of recycled content in packaging, with nearly 50% (by weight) of all packaging now comprised of recycled materials -- half of it post-consumer recycled materials. Examples:

   Carry-out bags (100% total, 40% post-consumer)
   Napkins: (100% total, 30% post-consumer)
   Happy Meal cartons (100% total, 60% post-consumer)
   Corrugated (40% total, 25% post-consumer)
   Sandwich cartons (50% total, 30% post-consumer)

RECYCLING

Implemented corrugated box recycling in most restaurants, recovering a cumulative total of 1 million tons over the past decade, which represents a 30% reduction in restaurant waste.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

1. More than 6,000 restaurants now have energy-efficient lighting, reducing total energy usage by about 4%, or 510 million kilowatt hours.
2. Built 5 model energy-efficient McDonald?s restaurants that reduce energy consumption by 10-15%.
3. First in the industry to open a geothermal restaurant (Detroit, 1998).
4. First in the industry to install a micro-turbine generator (Chicago, 1999).

UPCOMING PLANS

Continue to expand McDonald?s Waste Reduction Action Plan (WRAP), and to report progress on waste reduction and energy use annually. Upcoming environmental goals include:

• Work with Environmental Defense and other outside experts to set goals by Earth Day 2000 to reduce energy use, with an initial target of at least 10% reduction, compared to baseline 1999 energy use.
• Target $400 million per year in McRecycle (buy recycled) purchases for equipment, construction and packaging. Explore how to increase use of recycled products for constructing McDonald?s restaurants.
• Make further reductions in packaging, at least two items per year, toward a goal of reducing an additional five million pounds annually.
• Incorporate a "sustainable forestry scorecard" into the paper product procurement process.
• Initiate a restaurant composting program in a large metropolitan area in California.