McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) has announced that it will be banning plastic straws from its stores in the U.K.
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McDonald’s says that it will be removing plastic straws from its locations in the UK due to growing concerns about their effect on the environment. This will have the fast food chain testing out straws made from paper.
The switch to paper straws will make it so that customers don’t have to worry about them hurting the environment. The paper straws will be biodegradable and the wrap around them will be made from recycled paper.
The current plastic straws that McDonald’s offers customers are recyclable, but they have to make it to a recycling facility first. Instead, the straws can end up discarded in ways that aren’t friendly to the environment.
According to McDonald’s, it has plans to start testing out the paper straws next month. It will then move forward with its plan to ban plastic straws and replace them with the biodegradable paper ones, reports Sky News.
McDonald’s decision to start testing out paper straws in the UK comes as it makes other pushes to protect the environment. This includes plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions over the next few years. The goal is to cut greenhouse gas emissions in connection to its restaurant and offices by 36%. It will also work to reduce emissions intensity by 31% per metric ton of food and packaging. The chain hopes to reach these goals by 2030.
MCD stock was up slightly as of Wednesday afternoon.
As of this writing, William White did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.