In an article published on January 16, 2019, the news provider Plastics News discussed an announcement by food and beverage company Nestlé about specific actions it plans to take in order to meet its commitment to make all of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025 (FPF reported). In the announcement, Nestlé’s CEO Mark Schneider said “[w]hile we are committed to pursuing recycling options where feasible, we know that 100% recyclability is not enough to successfully tackle the plastics waste crisis.” He further explained that “[Nestlé] believe[s] in the value of recyclable and compostable paper-based materials and biodegradable polymers, in particular where recycling infrastructure does not exist.”
The announcement specifically outlines “tangible steps to pioneer alternative materials, shape a waste-free future and drive behavior change.” Development of a new Institute of Packaging Sciences at the company (FPF reported) will help to phase out “all plastics that are not recyclable or are hard to recycle for all [of Nestlé’s] products worldwide.” The company has also released a negative list of materials that will no longer be used in product packaging, and the announcement introduces a timeline of material phase outs and replacements.
Also mentioned is that “Nestlé has a longer-term ambition to stop plastic leakage into the environment across its global operations.” This includes a partnership with Project STOP, which launched in Indonesia in 2017. All of Nestlé’s facilities will also commit to eliminating single-use plastic items that cannot be recycled.
Read more
Plastics News (January 16, 2019). “Nestlé gets specific about sustainability.”
Nestlé (January 15, 2019). “Nestlé accelerates action to tackle plastic waste.”
Nestlé (January 15, 2019). “The Negative List.” (pdf)
