Day 007 - 06 Jul 94 - Page 17

     
     1   Q.   "Not for profit" is non-profit making?
              A.  Correct.
     2
         Q.   What about the Environmental Defense Fund?
     3        A.  They are the same, the same type of organisation.
 
     4   Q.   But they are non-governmental?
              A.  Non-governmental, correct, non-industry.
     5
         Q.   They are not connected with the plastics industry?
     6        A.  Not whatsoever.
 
     7   Q.   They are not connected with the United States Government
              or any State government?
     8        A.  Not whatsoever.
 
     9   Q.   What about "Friends of the Earth".  We have heard of them
              here, that is for sure?
    10        A.  I think you know them as the same type of
              organisation, a non-profit environmental organisation.
    11
         Q.   It reads:  "Statement of support for the food service
    12        packaging institute's".  Is that a trade organisation?
              A.  It is a trade organisation, yes.
    13
         Q.   "Fully halogenated chlorofluorocarbon voluntary phaseout
    14        program".  Do you know when the FPI's phase-out programme
              had been announced?
    15        A.  I do not recall what date that was.
 
    16   Q.   I think Mr. Langert may be able to tell us that: "Friends
              of the Earth, Environmental Defense Fund, and the Natural
    17        Resources Defense Council support  the Fully Halogenated
              Chlorofluorocarbon Voluntary" -- we will call it CFC --
    18         "Voluntary Phaseout Program established and announced
              today" -- that answers my question, does it not? -- "by
    19        the Foodservice Packaging Institute (see attachment)".
              I think you told us a moment or two ago that McDonald's
    20        had announced an initiative back in 1987; is that right?
              A.  Correct, August 1987.
    21
         Q.   Pausing there.  From your knowledge of the plastics
    22        industry in the United States, particularly the packaging
              industry, what sort of clout does McDonald's carry?
    23        A.  Very much clout.  I think that they look to us as a
              leader in the industry and many companies, many of our
    24        competitors, will follow our lead.  As we announced our
              phase out, so did the rest of the industry.
    25
         Q.   So, looking at it from outside McDonald's, although of 
    26        course you are heavily dependent in one sense on 
              McDonald's but not in any proprietary sense, looking at it 
    27        from outside, casting your mind back to this period, was
              it your impression, your observation, that McDonald's just
    28        followed the herd, or was it different?
              A.  No, it definitely did not follow the herd -- I think
    29        they were leading the herd if anything.  I think we
              started a trend, McDonald's started a trend, that the rest
    30        of the food service packaging industry followed.