McDonald's recently commissioned an independent environmental audit of our company's environmental policies and practices.
Small changes can deliver big results.
For example, in 2000 we reduced the thickness of our napkins, saving 1500 tonnes of paper, which equates to saving 22,500 average-sized trees. We have trimmed 22 per cent in weight from each hamburger box in the past few years - from 6 to 4.7g, that means we saved 454 tonnes of plastic. A scheme is operating in more than 500 restaurants whereby used corrugated cardboard French fry delivery packaging is returned to a central distribution point for sale to industry for second time use. McDonald's is committed to using recycled materials wherever possible in its packaging and business in general. A trial has been set up for around 50 restaurants to recycle all their cardboard delivery boxes.