McDonald's Happy Meal toys will soon be made largely of maize and other renewable resources instead of fossil fuel-based plastic. Some foreign markets have already begun the transition, which they should complete globally by 2025.
The firm said in a statement that making Happy Meal toys from recyclable, renewable, or certified materials would reduce around 90 percent reduction in fossil fuel-based plastic in the toys.
According to McDonald's, the benefits of the switch will be comparable to more than 650,000 individuals not using plastic for a year.
McDonald's Happy Meals Go Green
Today said McDonald's has been serving Happy Meals to children for more than 40 years, and many of those unique bags and boxes included a plastic trinket or action figure. On the other hand, plastic toys were taken out at the company's French restaurants early this year in favor of paper-based items like trade cards and coloring patterns.
Customers can opt for a book instead of a toy to accompany their children's meals as part of the "One Book or One Toy" promotion in France.
According to the company, McDonald's restaurants in the UK and Ireland are also moving to new toys that use less plastic.
Of course, Happy Meal toys make up a minor portion of the plastic that McDonald's regularly uses in the form of drinking straws, cutlery, and other items.
LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY12 : In this photo provided by Nintendo of America, Mario and Luigi enjoy Happy Meals on July 12, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. Nintendo is celebrating the recently released Mario Kart 8 game for the Wii U console by partnering with McDonald's nationwide to include themed toys in Happy Meals.
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Recycling Plastics As Explained By McDonald's
McDonald's explained that plastic packages and trash might harm the planet when not collected or recycled appropriately.
The fast-food chain is utilizing recycled plastic for trays and toys would raise demand for recycled plastic while also diverting materials away from landfills and other pollution sources.
According to the company's corporate page, McDonald's is implementing the adjustments as part of a commitment to source 100% of its guest packaging from renewable, recyclable, or certified sources by 2025 and recycling guest packaging in all McDonald's restaurants.
The most recent progress report posted on the same corporate page said the firm is currently 80 percent of the way to achieving its guest packing goal. The recycling effort, however, is moving at a slower pace due to a lack of infrastructure.
McDonald's claimed they would allow the customers to recycle packaging trash in over 25% of their restaurants in their 30 major markets by 2020.
Other Companies Going Green
The sustainability movement is gaining traction among businesses, a trend that has intensified in recent years. According to Shawmut Communications Group, the number of firms in the United States with formal green initiatives has grown by 54%.
Eliza Erskine, CEO of Green Buoy Consulting, told Shawmut that sustainability had become a priority for organizations. She said her firm assists businesses in developing and evaluating sustainability strategies. According to Erskine, it would take everyone to change things. She added that people are beginning to understand that "we" includes companies.
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