McDonald's say their paper straws cannot be recycled

McDonald's say their paper straws cannot be recycled

McDonald's have released a statement claiming that due to demand for sturdier straws, they have increased straw thickness, disabling them from being recycled by their current waste providers.

Last year, McDonalds led the way in the abolition of plastic straws from the hospitality industry after huge public outcry. The plastic straws McDoald's were using prior, were recyclable in all UK sites.

An internal memo released this week said that, due to their thickness, the new paper straws have not yet been made easily recyclable. It advised that they should be put in the general waste bins, according to The Sun newspaper.

McDonald's claimed that the straws were recyclable, but difficult to process due to their thickness.

The fast food chain uses 1.8 million straws per day in the UK alone. The decision to cut out plastic straws was a momentous step towards a eco-friendlier process. However, there were many dissatisfied customers who claimed that the new straws dissolved when in use - particularly with milkshakes. A current petition has over 51,000 signatures demanding the old straws return. 

Friends of the Earth's Julian Kirby said: "For too long the debate has been stuck on recycling and how to deal with waste once it is created. We should be thinking about how to avoid waste creation.

"Lips have been a waste-free alternative to straws for millions of years."

 

 

Emma Richardson