In Taiwan, McDonald's has stopped using plastic lining in its food packaging.
The fast food brand is also eliminating paper boxes and has introduced reusable cups to curb waste in its restaurants.
As Taiwan News reported, McDonald's began introducing its new packaging concepts across the country in July.
It is using paper wrappers instead of plastic-lined packaging and serving sandwiches, nuggets, and apple pies in paper wrappers instead of boxes.
The brand researched and tested these greener packaging concepts for three years. By making these switches, it reduces its usage of paper pulp and plastic, opting for silicone- and starch-based alternatives instead.
The change is saving approximately 10,000 trees annually. Meanwhile, McDonald's can also keep nearly 190,000 pounds of plastic out of the environment.
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Another sustainability initiative involves promoting reusable cups for dine-in customers to cut single-use waste.
Beyond Taiwan, McDonald's has been prioritizing reusable packaging to limit plastic waste pollution in other countries. In some markets, the brand has introduced smaller portion sizes to reduce food waste as well. Plant-based meat alternatives are also gaining popularity in places.
While the fast food industry accounts for massive amounts of waste, you can show major corporations that considering the planet is also good for business by supporting their eco-friendly initiatives. Less plastic in our food translates to better health and less planet-overheating pollution coming from overcrowded landfills.
When you dine out, you can reduce your personal environmental impact by taking your own to-go containers and ordering plant-based options on the menu.
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Should the government be allowed to control how restaurants run their business? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Never 👎 "Good, now make it mandatory to all restaurants in Taiwan to remove the plastic layer on paper-based food packings, as it is proven that microplastics are leaked into food," one Instagram user commented.
A Facebook user shared, "This move is the right one, and I hope other brands will follow suit."
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