McDonald’s Now Serving . . . New Biodegradable Packaging

McDonald’s Corp. said Thursday that it is testing a new kind of biodegradable packaging that is made mostly of potato starch, water and calcium carbonate.

The company’s Quarter Pounder With Cheese sandwiches are slated to be served in the new containers at its Las Vegas restaurants.

The product, made by EarthShell Corp. of Santa Barbara, will decompose in a backyard compost pile or a commercial composting plant. Or it can be tossed in a kitchen blender with water and added to the soil. Once crushed or broken, the product will dissolve in water.

The package is made similar to an ice cream cone in that a batter is mixed and then set in molds and baked. Once removed from the mold, the package is coated to protect it from moisture in foods and drinks.

EarthShell says its packaging is tougher than polystyrene and paper and insulates better.

When Oak Brook, Ill.-based McDonald’s switched to paper from polystyrene foam containers in 1990, paper companies were thrilled. And chemical companies were outraged. McDonald’s, the world’s largest fast-food company, has more than 19,200 restaurants worldwide.

Losing an account as big as the Golden Arches could make waves in the paper industry this time around.