McDonald's ordered to use non disposable crockery, utensils etc

(Received from John Allsopp)

24 April 1998

A local governing council in Mayfield Australia has required as part of a proposed McD expansion that they use non-disposable plates and utensils. They plan to treat other fast food chains the same way.

The following is sourced from the Sydney Morning Herald, 23 April 1998:
The Lord Mayor, Councillor Greg Hayes, said fast food packaging was responsible for about a third of the waste collected in the region on the annual Clean Up Australia Day.

The [Australian Local Governments] Association's president Cr Peter Woods, said Newcastle Council's move could be adopted by every council.

The Australian Local Government Association estimates there is a $100 million gap between the cost of collecting recyclables and the money councils make from them - a cost borne by ratepayers rather than consumers.

I also heard a Greens Newcastle Councillor speak on community radio, and he pointed out that the city had a policy of reducing landfill by 60% by 2001 and eliminating it by 2010.


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