The company has been running a programme to save on the rising cost of sending waste to land fill sites by sending it to the city's waste incinerator, which generates electricity and heats homes and buildings in the city centre.

Today, it revealed the results of the trial – a 54 per cent reduction in the carbon impact of disposing of waste from its 11 outlets. McDonald's says the waste incinerator had previously been mainly used for turning domestic waste into heat and power.

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However opportunities for companies opened up after Sheffield City Council gave control of the plant to Veolia.

Helen Humphrey, vice president for national operations at McDonald's Restaurants, said: "We're proud to call Sheffield our first 'green city' in the UK, and we are excited and encouraged by the results of our energy from waste trial here."

Results from the Sheffield trial were unveiled as the first in a series of substantial Landfill Tax increases took effect. Landfill Tax rose by 33 per cent a tonne at the start of April as part of a drive to encourage businesses to produce less waste.

McDonald's Sheffield initiative was audited by the Carbon Trust, a Government-backed independent company which aims to accelerate the development of a low carbon economy by working with organisations to reduce carbon emissions.


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