BEIJING - A McDonald's joint venture in China supplying its outlets with French fries has been slapped with a record 3.9 million yuan (US$630,000) fine for water pollution, state media reported.
The fine levied against Beijing Simplot Food Processing is the largest ever meted out by the city of Beijing for pollution, the official Xinhua news agency said, citing the municipal environmental watchdog.
Beijing Simplot Food Processing is a joint venture between U.S. agribusiness concern J.R. Simplot Co., McDonald's and the Beijing Agricultural, Industrial and Commerce General Co., Xinhua said.
Established in 1992, Beijing Simplot makes French fries and hash browns for McDonald's, Xinhua said, adding that it also produces them for "other East Asian customers," without elaborating.
The fine comes as China cracks down nationwide on air, water and soil pollution amid rising public discontent over health concerns, and national embarrassment of the blight on the image of the world's second-largest economy.
A new environmental law -- the first in 25 years -- went into force this year, imposing tougher penalties and pledging that violators will be "named and shamed."
