Fast-food chain McDonald's has announced that it will invest in more environmentally friendly uniforms for its employees, Nation's Restaurant News reported.
The chain's current uniforms are made out of polyester, a plastic material derived from petroleum. Polyester is harmful to our planet at every stage of its creation, shedding microplastics as it is worn and washed, right through to when it is eventually discarded and ends up sitting in a landfill and basically never breaking down.
The new uniforms will, somewhat unfortunately, also be made out of polyester — but with an ingredient added that allows it to biodegrade at a similar rate to natural fibers like wool, meaning that if and when it eventually ends up in a landfill, it will not be there forever.
The ingredient, called CiCLO, is a patented "solution that could help mitigate the plastic microfiber pollution problem," per the company behind it.
Of course, the McDonald's Corporation still has several issues that are somewhat at odds with its purported environmental goals. McDonald's and other fast-food brands have normalized the concept of single-use plastic, leading to the ongoing plastic crisis that kills thousands of marine animals every year.
Plastic isn't McDonald's only environmental problem, either — the chain requires approximately 7 million cows every year to make its products, contributing massively to one of the most polluting industries on Earth.
But it's worth noting that the new uniforms are one of several nods that McDonald's has recently made toward becoming more environmentally friendly. The company has also invested in enough solar energy to power 630 of its 41,800 restaurants per year, redesigned its McFlurry spoon to waste less plastic, and 3D-printed lampshades from recycled materials.
"As part of McDonald's pledge to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, we aim to empower teams everywhere to innovate with exploring renewable energy, advancing the circular economy, and switching to more sustainable packaging options," the McDonald's Corporation said in a statement. "That includes working in partnership with franchisees, suppliers, and producers to find innovative ways to keep waste out of nature and preserve natural resources — and our uniform and packaging supplier teams took this challenge to heart."
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