KFC introducing biodegradable cutlery

Is it too soon to start thinking about your New Year’s resolution?

While you might not be ready to start thinking about it yet (particularly due to the fact so many more terrible things could happen between now and then), KFC is focused on improving the environment.

The fried chicken restaurant is testing a new form of cutlery in December that will eliminate 40 million pieces of plastic waste from its operations.

The new ‘spork’ is made from bamboo, corn and sugarcane—it is compostable at room temperature, and it breaks down into biomass, carbon dioxide and water; a process that requires no additional treatment and leaves no toxic by-products.

“Operating sustainably has always been part of our DNA. We will continue to invest and innovate to protect the communities we operate in as well as the world around us,” Nivera Wallani, president and general manager of KFC Canada, said in a news release.

“Moving to a compostable, fibre-based cutlery is one of many highlights in our journey to eliminate harmful plastics and waste from our business. We hope this sets an example for the food industry and keeps us collectively moving forward,” she continued.

Additionally, KFC has made an increased effort in reducing its carbon footprint as a company—they plan on removing 12 million plastic poutine containers from circulation by switching to a bamboo packaging solution by the end of 2021.

“We are always striving to reduce our environmental footprint. After achieving several major sustainability milestones recently we’ve started pushing further and looking at all aspects of the customer experience–right down to the cutlery in our restaurants,” Armando Carrillo, food innovation manager for KFC Canada, said in the same release.