SYDNEY. 6 APRIL, 2000: Greenpeace has revealed that two of the major sponsors of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games,
McDonald’s and Coca-Cola, are undermining the Environmental Guidelines for the world’s first Green Games.
In a report launched today, Green Olympics, Dirty Sponsors: How McDonald's and Coca-Cola's global HFC pollution is
undermining the world's first Green Games at the Sydney Olympics, Greenpeace states that McDonald's and Coca-Cola are
dirtying the Games by using global warming hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) throughout the Olympic site.
The official Guidelines call for an HFC-free Olympic site.
“Back in 1992, when Sydney bid for the Games in Monte Carlo it pledged that these would be the very first Green Games,”
said Greenpeace campaigner, Corin Millais. "With this came the commitment to eliminate HFCs from Homebush. Yet, Olympic
sponsors Coca-Cola and McDonald’s are contravening the Guidelines by choosing to use global warming HFCs in their
refrigeration systems at the Olympic site," he said.
"Green refrigeration alternatives are available. These companies can adopt green practices if they choose to. By
selecting HFC refrigeration and ignoring available Greenfreeze alternatives the companies will directly contribute to
global climate change - one of the most serious environmental threats facing the planet today.”
HFCs are one of the most potent global warming gases ever invented. They are manufactured by the same companies which
made CFCs. On average over 20 years, one tonne of HFC causes 3,300 times more climate change destruction than one tonne
of carbon dioxide.
“Coca-Cola and McDonald’s have an obligation to the spirit of the Green Games and to the third pillar of Olympism - the
environment. They must commit to 100% Greenfreeze technology at the Sydney 2000 Games and all future Olympic Games, and
it's about time they took responsibility for their impact on our
environment and abandoned their global corporate policies of using HFCs,” said Millais.
ENDS
Green Olympics, Dirty Sponsors: How McDonald's and Coca-Cola's global HFC pollution is undermining the world's first
Green Games at the Sydney Olympics will be available Thursday, April 6, 2000, at www.greenpeace.org.au
For further information contact Lynne Minion on 0061 408 268 024 or 0061 2 9263 0314.