Corporate Partnerships

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McDonald's - Styrofoam Packaging

McDonald's - Styrofoam Packaging

Press Contact

Melanie Janin - email
(202) 572-3240 (office)
(202) 321-5095 (cell)

Materials

Updates

Our Other McDonald's Work

On August 1, 1990, the McDonald's Corporation and Environmental Defense Fund joined forces in a unique collaboration: the nation's largest fast-food chain and a leading environmental advocacy group teamed up to conserve resources and cut waste.

This fledgling partnership with a leading brand grew into one of Environmental Defense's core programs.

How we launched our corporate partnerships work »

Goals

  • Recommend waste-reducing and conservation options for McDonald's to consider:
    • Source reduction: using less material
    • Reuse: introducing reusables throughout the supply chain
    • Recycling: return materials to productive use
    • Composting: recycling organic materials when possible

Results

  • Switched from polystyrene foam "clamshells" to paper-based wraps for its sandwich packaging, providing a 70-90% reduction in sandwich packaging volume, reducing landfill space, energy used and pollutant releases over the lifecycle of the package
  • Converted to unbleached paper carry-out bags, coffee filters and Big Mac wraps
  • Reduced paper use by 21% in napkins, and incorporated 30% postconsumer recycled content
  • Asked suppliers to incorporate 35% postconsumer recycled content into all corrugated shipping boxes

Ripple Effects

Finding value in cutting waste:

  • In 1999 McDonald's announced that it had reduced 510 million kilowatt-hours through energy efficiency improvements in its stores and created a "buy recycled" program, purchasing nearly $3 billion in products containing recycled materials.
  • Having seen the strategic value of environmental innovation, the company continues to explore new avenues.
  • In the decade following the partnership, McDonald's has continued to implement the team’s suggestions. It has:
    • eliminated over 300 million pounds of packaging, enough to keep Peoria, Illinois trash-free for 10 years;
    • recycled 1 million tons of corrugated boxes, reducing restaurant waste by 30 percent.

Press releases

McDonald's & Environmental Defense Fund Mark 10th Anniversary Of Landmark Alliance
12/21/1999

Not Pulp Fiction: US Companies Find Cleaner Paper Practices Make Business Sense
11/02/1999

Posted: 01-Dec-2008; Updated: 08-Sep-2009