Plastic Recycling & McDonald’s Straws
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Plastic Packaging Recycling & McDonald's Straws
As the world becomes more aware of the importance of recycling and green solutions, plastics are quickly gaining attention on the global eco stage. Plastic packaging recycling is becoming increasingly important due to the sheer amount of plastic produced for products and packaging. Amidst this global trend however, there is an important lesson to be learned from the fast-food giant, McDonald’s.
You may have heard; there has been some controversy regarding McDonald’s attempt to improve the eco side of their operation with a switch to a “greener” straw option. It was revealed this summer that McDonald’s would be replacing their plastic straws with paper ones, which were supposedly easier to recycle. These straws however, ended up being a failure both functionally, often disintegrating during use for many customers, and for the supposed recycling benefits. McDonald’s previous plastic straws were in fact recyclable yet were replaced by an option that waste management companies could not recycle – meaning the McDonald’s paper/card straws have to be sent to landfill. The Ebbw Vale-based manufacturer of the straws insists that the straws are recyclable and that the fault lies with the UK’s recycling infrastructure.
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