Recycling: 84% of packaging in fast-food outlets is sorted for recycling
Above-average performance in urban waste collection: this is shown by a study carried out at seven McDonald’s restaurants in Italy
Key points
Fast food: 84% of packaging waste ends up in the recycling bin. This figure is higher than the urban average. It was calculated in a study commissioned by Comieco, Seda and McDonald’s and carried out by Ambiente Italia, which analysed waste production and management at seven McDonald’s restaurants in Milan, Baranzate, Parma, Perugia, Rome, Bari and Palermo.
Above-average recycling rates
The survey analysed the behaviour of around 1,000 customers by directly observing how trays were placed in and emptied from the recycling bins and by verifying the actual destination of the collected materials. «The data shows that the system implemented in restaurants achieves better results than the Italian average: 84% of total waste is placed in separate collection bins, compared to 68% in urban waste collection,” explains Duccio Bianchi, co-founder of Ambiente Italia: “The overall recycling rate is also higher, standing at 67% compared to the national average of 54%.”
This has been achieved thanks to an organisational model based on multiple collection points within the premises, clear signage and the separation of waste streams into paper, plastic and metal, glass, organic waste and non-recyclable waste. Customer errors remain low: only one in ten customers disposes of waste incorrectly.
Using the card
According to the research, a key factor behind these recycling figures is the increasing use of cellulose-based materials. The study found that over 88% of packaging and service products – including napkins, straws, placemats and containers – are made of paper; of these, almost 70% is made from pure cellulose, whilst the remainder consists mainly of paper combined with other materials, but is nonetheless highly recyclable.
“The figures confirm the model’s effectiveness: the recycling rate for paper packaging analysed in the restaurants surveyed stands at 87%, a result that demonstrates just how strategic it is to continue investing in this renewable, recyclable and recycled material,” comments Roberto Di Molfetta, General Manager of Comieco: “To improve further, however, it is essential to manage the entire process: from customer sorting to staff handling; from ensuring an adequate collection frequency for the waste collection service to strengthening collection logistics. By increasing paper recovery and reducing unsorted waste in this way, the fast-food sector has the potential to reduce unsorted waste to zero.”
