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24 November 202519 November 2025

Spielzeug trifft Nachhaltigkeit: Playmobils nachhaltige Kunststoffe

Der deutsche Spielzeughersteller ist weltbekannt in Kinderzimmern. Das Unternehmen aus Zirndorff entwickelt immer mehr Spielfiguren und -sets aus pflanzenbasierten Kunststoffen

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7 May 202530 April 2025

Why paper packaging is better for the environment than plastic

Paper packaging is becoming increasingly common in stores, supermarkets and delivery services - but its environmental harm remains limited

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14 November 202411 November 2024

Biodegradable synthetics – the latest development in tackling microfiber pollution

ISPO explores innovative solutions like Ciclo's biodegradable polyester and nylon, aiming to reduce microfiber pollution while maintaining the durability of synthetic materials

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Biologisch abbaubare Kunststoffe – die neueste Entwicklung im Kampf gegen Mikrofaserverschmutzung

Die ISPO erforscht innovative Lösungen wie das biologisch abbaubare Polyester und Nylon von Ciclo, um die Verschmutzung durch Mikrofasern zu verringern und gleichzeitig die Haltbarkeit synthetischer Materialien zu erhalten

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14 May 20248 May 2024

First Playmobil toy made from sugar cane

The restaurant chain McDonald's had been looking for bio-based material to produce animal figures from and now they are made from at least 95 percent sugar cane-based plastic

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Erstes Playmobil-Spielzeug auf Zuckerrohrbasis

Ab Mai werden erstmals Playmobil-Tierfiguren im Happy-Meal® der Restaurantkette McDonald’s enthalten sein, die zu mindestens 95 Prozent aus auf Zuckerrohr basiertem Kunststoff gefertigt sind

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15 February 20245 February 2024

Dressed to Impress: McDonald’s Debuts New, More Sustainable Uniforms in the U.S.

These new aprons, jeans and graphic T-shirts are made with innovative CiCLO® technology, which enables polyester fibers to biodegrade like wool

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25 January 202422 January 2024

Fungi, coffee, and pineapples – rethinking device materials

Don't throw those coffee grounds away, developers are rethinking device materials to lower the environmental impact of future products

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22 September 202321 September 2023

UBQ Materials erhält 70 Mio. Dollar für umweltfreundlichen Kunststoff aus Abfall

Mercedes setzt auf thermoplastischen Plastik-Ersatz mit UBQ

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14 September 20238 September 2023

McDonald’s Expands Collaboration with UBQ Materials, Becoming First Restaurant Chain to Incorporate UBQ™ into Building Materials

Expanding from Serving Trays, Arcos Dorados, World’s Largest Independent McDonald’s Franchisee, Now Using UBQ™ in Bench Seating and Electrical System Components, Showcasing New Applications in Sustainability in New São Paulo Restaurant

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22 May 202316 May 2023

McDonald’s Leads Lobbying Offensive Against Laws to Reduce Packaging Waste in Europe

Flawed assumptions and a “disturbing” lack of transparency characterise an industry campaign against reusable packaging, academics and campaigners warn

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28 April 202226 April 2022

McDonald’s Tests Circular Clear Cups Sourced From Recycled and Biobased Materials, Including Used Cooking Oil

Along with its partners Pactiv Evergreen, INEOS, Neste, and LyondellBasell, the company will use a mass-balance approach to produce a recyclable solution

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2 February 202128 January 2021

These new McDonald’s trays are made from food waste

At franchises throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, you’ll now get your food served on an innovative new material

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16 October 20209 September 2021

Spotlight on chemical recycling: Building a circular economy for plastics requires multiple strategies and tools

Advanced recycling needs to be part of that tool set

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17 September 202016 September 2020

UBQ Materials confirms plans to build conversion plant in the Netherlands

World’s first bio-based material made of unsorted organic, paper and plastic is qualified as ‘The most climate positive thermoplastic material on the planet.”

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10 July 20202 July 2020

Neste, McDonald’s Netherlands and HAVI enter into circular economy collaboration in the Netherlands

The collaboration will see McDonald’s restaurants in the Netherlands recycling the used cooking oil from French fries into Neste MY Renewable Diesel™

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19 March 202016 March 2020

Update on Starbucks Journey to Find a More Sustainable Cup

In March of 2019, Starbucks announced a commitment to conduct market tests with the cup technologies in select stores in five cities

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5 March 20202 March 2020

USDA Rural Development, BioPreferred Program and more

The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to USDA’s Bioproducts to Market Efforts

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3 March 202028 February 2020

Take Five: Bio-based businesses aiming to stimulate positive environmental change via successful partnerships

More and more companies are increasingly working together to develop renewable and circular solutions

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19 February 202014 February 2020

U of T researchers turn McDonald’s deep fryer oil into high-end 3D printing resin

While there are commercial uses for waste cooking oil, there’s a lack of ways to recycle it into a high value commodity such as a 3D printing resin

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12 December 201910 December 2019

Double Shot of Sustainability: Ford and McDonald’s Collaborate to Convert Coffee Bean Skin into Car Parts

McDonald’s is expected to direct a significant portion of its coffee chaff in North America to Ford to be incorporated into vehicle parts

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Autoteile aus Kaffeebohnen: Ford und McDonald’s beschließen Nachhaltigkeits-Kooperation

Bestandteile von gerösteten Kaffeebohnen sollen in Fahrzeugteilen wie etwa Scheinwerfergehäusen eine neue Verwendung finden

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21 June 201917 June 2019

Spielzeugriese forscht bislang vergeblich: Lego verzweifelt an der Suche nach grünem Plastikersatz

Kaum ein natürlicher Rohstoff kann bislang den Baustoff der Lego-Elemente sowie der Verpackungsmaterialien gleichwertig ersetzen

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9 May 20196 May 2019

McDonald’s hits back at ‘ditch paper straws’ petition

Fast food giant is in the process of cutting out single-use plastic, swapping out plastic straws for paper ones at its UK and Ireland restaurants.

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15 April 201910 April 2019

Ben & Jerry’s Joins Major Global Brands Phasing Out Petroleum-Based Plastics

Company replacing plastic spoons and straws in its 600+ Scoop Shops worldwide with wooden spoons and paper straws by April 2019 as a first step

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13 March 20197 March 2019

Truly sustainable cups are finally here

12 Winners of NextGen Cup Challenge Reimagining the Future of the To-Go Cup

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18 December 201828 April 2019

A loudspeaker for treehuggers with golden ears – the first speaker ever built using holocellulose

Newly researched pure white material with unique properties is easy to recycle to become something completely different

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21 September 201819 September 2018

Zigarettenkippen verunreinigen den Ozean mehr als Plastiktrinkhalme

Bei den jährlichen Aufräumarbeiten blieben Zigarettenkippen in Kalifornien, in den USA und international die Nummer eins

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22 August 201819 August 2018

Marine biodegradable plastics offer hope for oceans and waterways

Everywhere you turn – marine pollution is on the mind of late

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3 August 20183 August 2018

The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the week of July 27th

Highlighting annual or even quarterly or monthly rankings and summaries of significant product and service advances

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26 July 201824 July 2018

Starbucks und McDonald’s tüfteln gemeinsam am Öko-Becher

In einem Wettbewerb, den das NextGen Cup Consortium leitet, sollen Ideen für innovative Becher für Heiß- und Kaltgetränke entwickelt werden

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McDonald’s Joins Starbucks & Closed Loop Partners to Develop a Recyclable and/or Compostable Cup

Groundbreaking partnership to develop a recyclable and/or compostable cup solution through NextGen Cup Consortium and Challenge

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3 July 20182 July 2018

McDonald’s has replaced plastic with biodegradable alternatives

McDonald's now gives customers wooden cutlery (spoons, stirrers, knives and forks) instead of plastic ones. The plastic cups have been replaced by superior quality paper cups

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12 January 201810 January 2018

Sustainable Packaging Coalition elects representatives from McDonald’s, Nestlé USA, and Braskem to Executive Committee

SPC Executive Committee offers big opportunity for big companies to work together, making real progress in advancing sustainable packaging

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8 January 201821 December 2017

As You Sow calls out McDonald’s on use of polystyrene

McDonald's still uses polystyrene for packaging applications in overseas markets, where plastic pollution migration into waterways is highest

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26 January 201625 January 2016

6 Sustainable Packaging Trends to Watch in 2016

Environmental Leader discussed sustainable packaging trends with the experts

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15 June 201512 June 2015

Hitting the target

Bioplastics, used wisely alongside waste reduction and recycling initiatives, are already helping brand owners achieve sustainability targets. Emma-Jane Batey reports on their rich potential as a green packaging material.

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10 July 20149 July 2014

New Supply Chain Sustainability Program for U.S. Crops

Field to Market metrics and benchmarks developed through a multi-stakeholder process to become an important platform

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19 February 201418 February 2014

The quest for bio-polystyrene

Current developments and the hunt for alternatives

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27 July 2012

Novamont provides London 2012 with compostable packs

McDonald’s as Olympics Partner to use Mater-Bi for cutlery, straws, cups and lids

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29 May 2012

Companies are removing oil from their products to cut costs

Rising crude prices are fueling a boom in bioplastics as manufacturers took for alternatives to petrochemicals in car seats, beverage containers, solar panels and other goods