Happy Meals?

(9/26/2005)

According to reports published in the Indonesian-language DenPost, the McDonald's Restaurant branch in Jimbaran, South Kuta has been given a final deadline of two months to clean up a local river bed which they have polluted or face the threat of strong administrative sanctions from local environmental agencies.

Efforts over the past two weeks by the restaurant's management to stop the overflow of graywater (i.e. water from hand wash basins) from the restaurant flowing into an adjacent river have been unsuccessful. Acording to the press report, while the flow of waste water into the river has been halted, exterior holding basins meant to retain the gray water while a new septic system is built and dredge sewage residues from the river bottom adjacent to the restaurant have resulted in complaints regarding the resulting malodorous atmosphere. Restaurant management told the DenPost that they have hauled away 5 tucks loads of dredged effluent from the river bottom since September 20, 2005.

Following an inspection visit by South Kuta District officials on Wednesday, September 21, 2005, the restaurant was given a final two month's deadline to establish a new septic system to contain waste water in conformance with local environmental and building codes and to succesfully complete the dredging of waste materials from the river bottom in adjacent riverbed.