McDonald's Introduces Recycled PET for 'Sunday Ice Cream' Cups and Lids

Scheduled to be available at stores nationwide next month
Sequentially applied to all coffee menus within the year

Korea McDonald's announced on the 15th that it will introduce plastic cups and lids (cup covers) made from 100% recycled PET (rPET) to stores nationwide.

Starting next month, McDonald's plans to provide recycled PET cups and lids when ordering Sunday ice cream at stores across the country. Currently, this is being piloted and provided at the Suyu branch in Seoul and the Yeonhui Drive-Thru (DT) branch in Incheon, and the company plans to switch all coffee menu items to eco-friendly recycled PET containers within this year. Through this, they aim to contribute to carbon emission reduction and establish a sustainable resource circulation system.

A staff member at a McDonald's store in Korea is handing a 'Sunday Ice Cream' served in an eco-friendly recycled PET (rPET) cup to a customer. [Photo by McDonald's Korea]

The recycled PET cups and lids introduced by McDonald's are reborn through a processing procedure that involves washing, crushing, and melting transparent PET bottles separately collected domestically. They are manufactured as safe products that meet the standards set by the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. One set of Sunday ice cream cup and lid uses about 2.5 collected 500ml transparent PET bottles. Although recycled PET is more costly compared to virgin plastic, it is known to have about a 59% carbon reduction effect. Customers can enjoy their menu while simultaneously participating in the activation of the circular economy.

In addition to introducing recycled PET containers, McDonald's is pursuing eco-friendly management with the goal of converting all packaging to recyclable and reusable materials by next year. Previously, in 2020, McDonald's was the first in the industry to introduce the 'Ttukkeongi,' a drink lid that does not require a straw, and since 2022, it has been reducing plastic use by providing reusable containers instead of disposable tableware in stores nationwide.

A McDonald's representative said, "We will continue to make steady efforts to fulfill our role as an industry-leading company with the belief that good things for the world are also good things for McDonald's."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.