Day 063 - 07 Dec 94 - Page 20

     
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     2   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  But what about the wrap?  Yes.
     3
     4   MR. MORRIS:  We will move on from that.
     5
     6   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I think I ought to just ask you about that.
     7        What are you saying with regard to the paper?  I can see
     8        that that which has plastic covering or clay covering may
     9        take a very considerable time to decompose and the plastic
    10        covering never will.  But what about paper generally, paper
    11        products generally?
    12        A.  OK.  In general, for decomposition you require two
    13        components.  You require oxygen and you require water.
    14        Those two are mainly absent in a landfill where it is
    15        compacted.  Therefore, it actually remains undecomposed, as
    16        has actually been studied in the States.
    17
    18   MR. MORRIS:  When you say -----
    19        A.  Sorry, a lot of landfills actually do not want it
    20        really to decompose because then you would get leakage and
         then you would get uncontrolled gases; in modern landfills
    22        you can have those.
    23
    24   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  You have linings in some situations and so
    25        on?
    26        A.  Yes.
    27
    28   Q.   We have heard something about all that.
    29        A.  Yes.
    30
    31   MR. MORRIS:  Just to mention, while we are on that subject, in
    32        Germany there has been strong environmental pressure
    33        against landfill waste, expanding the landfill areas, yes?
    34        A.  Yes.
    35
    36   Q.   Also strong opposition to incineration?
    37        A.  Yes.
    38
    39   Q.   That is all on that.  We have heard about some pulp mills
    40        that supply McDonald's packaging suppliers, the
         Enso-Gutzeit mill in Finland?
    42        A.  Yes.
    43
    44   Q.   And the Iggesund mill in Workington, is it?
    45        A.  It could be; I have not visited that one.  I have
    46        visited Enso.
    47
    48   Q.   Are there five or six key mills, say, in Europe that are
    49        supplying pulp for McDonald's packaging or are we talking
    50        about hundreds, because the Finnish mill has been described 
    51        as a major supplier to McDonald's packaging.  Are there 
    52        other ones, key ones? 
    53        A.  I did the comparison for the figures that were provided
    54        in 1992 and the major, the main one is Enso.  Virtually 95
    55        per cent of the cup stock actually came that year from
    56        Enso.  So, Finland is a good comparison of that; it gives a
    57        good idea.
    58
    59   Q.   Yes, but 95 per cent of the cup stock is not necessarily 95
    60        per cent of all McDonald's paper packaging?