The best cure for any problem is to deal with it at its source. To this end, I recall some years ago that a gentleman up near Coffs Harbour had invented a hot chip container made of pressed, cooked mashed potato. His idea was that like an ice cream cone, it could be eaten as well as the chips; alternately he proposed it could be easily composted or if thrown in the bush, would soon break down.

However McDonald’s flatly rejected the idea, even after he had offered to incorporate their raised logo on the side in whatever colour they chose, preferring instead to stick with their waxed paper containers.

Even today meals taken inside their outlets are all packed in ‘disposable’ containers of waxed cardboard or polystyrene and nestled in a cardboard tray. None of which are recyclable due to food contamination.

As well as the takeaway containers problem, this must generate a huge amount of waste going to landfill. Although the education of consumers at the shops is a good idea, surely the use of washable crockery in the outlets and the use of environmentally friendly takeaway containers would go a long way to reducing this waste.

- George Aungle, Morisset Park