Fast food chains Hungry Jacks, KFC, McDonald’s fined for waste pollution

The Environmental Protection Agency Victoria has fined McDonalds, Hungry Jacks and KFC for waste pollution at some Melbourne outlets.

Staff in all three fast food chains allowed cooking oil and waste liquids to escape to storm drains rather than disposing of the waste in collection tanks.

A photograph of a KFC staff member showed them with a container with the open tap spilling the contents out the shop back door and into the drain.

The EPA fined KFC in Mt Alexander Rd, Moonee Ponds $5,769 with a further fine of $1,920 for littering. The agency penalised Hungry Jacks in Bell St, Preston $3,846 and fined McDonalds in Plenty Rd Kingsbury $3,846 in March this year.

EPA will also send improvement notices to the three fast food chains.

Fast food chains need to manage waste pollution

EPA West Metropolitan Regional Manager Steve Lansdell said everyone has a duty to protect the environment.

“Oil and cooking wastes do not belong in our drain networks. Major fast food franchises should have controls in place and their staff should be trained to understand how to manage their waste,” Lansdell said.

“We have contacted their Australian offices and the franchise holders’ offices to reinforce the role they play in ensuring their employees are protecting the environment.”

Landsell is also raising the issue of litter management because wrappers and drink containers are not being properly disposed of.

All three fast food franchise chains have reportedly taken steps to improve compliance. A McDonald’s spokesperson described the event as an isolated incident and staff had been retrained to use the systems in place to correctly dispose of waste, news.com.au reported. 

According to the masthead, a KFC spokesperson said the franchisor had reiterated with the restaurant network the need for compliance to industry-safe processes.

A spokesperson for Hungry Jack’s told news.com.au it had taken “additional precautions” such as moving the waste oil collection tank away from the stormwater drain.

This story was originally published on Franchise Executives.

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