Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Macdonalds / Burger King packing

Options
  • 29-01-2002 4:12pm
    #1
    Saruman
    Registered Users Posts: 11,389 ✭✭✭✭


    Macdonalds still uses polystirene for burgers, yes its recycled and i think a biodegradable version but is this better or worse for the environment? Burger King uses recycled cardboard/paper but should we encourage the continued use of paper when alternatives exist?

    post your thoughts..


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Typedef
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,564 ✭✭✭Typedef


    Facts.

    McDonalds and Bruger King may make their packaging out of recycled or biodegredable materials, but at the end of the day, all the packaging that gets used in a Burger King or McDonalds gets thrown out with the rest of the rubbish. The environmental value of making your packaging out of recycled or biodegredable goods only to throw them away after the first use is laughable.

    Recycled base material ---- Burger Packaging --- Bin --- Rubbish tip.
    Not a particularly environmentally friendly cycle I think you'd agree.

    This is not a RANT
    http://www.jsd.k12.ak.us/fd/student_projects/8th_grade/environ_projects/andysweb/prob.html
    Referenece to slash and burn farming of Rainforest:

    Perhaps more severe is the clearing of forests for livestock grazing land because deforestation for this reason is significantly more common than for farmland. When forest areas are used, cattle can graze much more cheaply. Many fast food restaurants, including McDonalds and Burger King, buy South American cattle that has been raised on ranches that were once tropical rain forest lands. They then keep these cows in the United States for 3 months, so they can be certified "American Cattle," before they are butchered and used in restaurants
    My opinion is that so called one time used 'recycled' packaging is a smoke screen to make 'some' fast food franchaises appear environmentally friendly.


  • Options
    #3
    bonkey
    Registered Users Posts: 15,443 ✭✭✭✭bonkey


    Originally posted by Typedef
    Facts.

    McDonalds and Bruger King may make their packaging out of recycled or biodegredable materials, but at the end of the day, all the packaging that gets used in a Burger King or McDonalds gets thrown out with the rest of the rubbish.

    <snip>

    My opinion is that so called one time used 'recycled' packaging is a smoke screen to make 'some' fast food franchaises appear environmentally friendly.

    OK - but what are the options?

    1) Ban McDonalds et al - not gonna happen
    2) Force mcD et al to *not* use packaging, which you would find is probably against some ****load of hygene laws
    3) Encourage mcD et al to use recycled wrapping.

    At least, they're using the best option available to them that I can see.

    What would be nice would be to see them recycling all the rubbish collected in-store. I dont know if they do or not.

    jc


  • Options
    #4
    Saruman
    Registered Users Posts: 11,389 ✭✭✭✭Saruman


    would they need to provide all the packing if you eat in? I dont see why when other NORMAL restarants do not! They would need some for Take away but not as much as is given at the moment.

    I try to ignore them both.. nice but seriously not good for me....
    Anyway what are the alternatives... I suppose the paper or box wrapping is better since it can be easily recycled.. yeah just pop it into the thousands of Recycle stations all over the city... yeah... sorry nodded off there....


  • Options
    #5
    Typedef
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,564 ✭✭✭Typedef


    I'd imagine it would be farily easy for restaurants in general to seperate out rubbish into Biodegradable, Paper, Plastic and tins. Maybe they could even get a tax break for this sort of thing, I am not an economist by profession, but I'm sure some kind of mutually beneficial arrangement could be come to with business so as to make it not be a financial incumberance to recycle their detrius?


Advertisement