McDonald's UAE surpasses 1 million KM milestone in biodiesel initiative

1,301,012km running on used vegetable oil from McDonald's outlets. The achievement highlights the benefits of biodiesel as an alternative energy source and has resulted in major reductions in the company's carbon footprint.

McDonald's UAE's biodiesel campaign was launched in July 2011 with the support of Dubai FDI, the foreign investment promotion arm of the Department of Economic Development. Under this initiative, 100% used vegetable oil is collected from McDonald's outlets across the UAE and converted into 100% biodiesel by McDonald's cleantech partner, Neutral Fuels. The biodiesel is then used to fuel the company's logistics fleet.

Commenting on the achievement, Mr. Rafik Fakih, Managing Director and Partner of McDonald's UAE said, "This milestone marks a proud moment in the history of McDonald's UAE. In just 17 months, we've achieved incredible results which have made a significant contribution to the reduction of our carbon emissions in the Emirates. We hope to take this sustainable initiative a step further by increasing our usage of biodiesel in the years to come."

Karl Feilder, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Neutral Fuels, added, "We operate a closed loop system for McDonald's UAE where every drop of biodiesel is converted from their own used vegetable oil and is used in 100% of their logistics fleet 100% of the time in an ongoing recycling process. Every day McDonald's proves that biodiesel is a viable long-term sustainable alternative for the environment."

Biodiesel is the only renewable transport fuel option that can be commercially deployed today. Independent studies have shown that biodiesel usage results in approximately 80 per cent less carbon dioxide than burning traditional fossil diesel on a lifecycle basis. In addition biodiesel has excellent lubricating properties which help prevent premature engine wear and failure. Biodiesel also acts as a cleaning detergent in fuel systems, improving efficiency and reducing maintenance.

The biodiesel campaign has received international acclaim and recognition from the UAE government, media and stakeholders around the world. As part of the campaign, McDonald's UAE has also organised university and community lectures, along with leaflets distributed throughout restaurants to educate customers on the environmental benefits of biodiesel.

In February 2012 the Dubai Road and Transport Authority recognised McDonald's and Neutral Fuels for their commitment to sustainable transport when the Crown Prince of Dubai awarded them with the Dubai Award for Sustainable Transport in the Environmental Protection Category.