Washington, DC \u2013 Nestl\u00e9, the world\u2019s largest food and beverage company, released a statement [1] today aimed at addressing the growing plastic pollution crisis. The company\u2019s statement does not include clear targets to reduce and eventually phase out single-use plastics. Instead, it announced \u201cambition\u201d for its packaging to be 100% recyclable or reusable by 2025, plans for \u201ccontinuing to increase the proportion of recycled plastics in packaging\u201d without a clear timeline, and additional efforts to help facilitate recycling by consumers.<\/p>\n
In response to today\u2019s news, Greenpeace Oceans Campaigner Graham Forbes said:<\/p>\n
\u201cNestl\u00e9\u2019s statement on plastic packaging includes more of the same greenwashing baby steps to tackle a crisis it helped to create. It will not actually move the needle toward the reduction of single-use plastics in a meaningful way, and sets an incredibly low standard as the largest food and beverage company in the world. The statement is full of ambiguous or nonexistent targets, relies on \u2018ambitions\u2019 to do better, and puts the responsibility on consumers rather than the company to clean up its own plastic pollution.<\/p>\n
\u201cIdentified as one of the worst plastic polluters in cleanups and brand audits around the world, Nestle is accountable to do more to address the problem. It is in the position and has the power and resources to phase out single-use plastics towards zero-waste in its packaging.<\/p>\n
\u201cA company of Nestl\u00e9\u2019s size should be setting a strong standard to actually move away from throwaway plastics. It should know by now that recycling efforts are not going to clean up our oceans, waterways, and communities. On the contrary, the company\u2019s business as usual will only accelerate plastic pollution.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nestl\u00e9 was the worst polluter identified<\/a> as part of an 8-day cleanup and brand audit of plastic pollution found at Freedom Island in the Philippines in 2017. The company\u2019s products have a consistent presence in cleanups and brand audits completed around the world<\/a>.<\/p>\n Photos of Nestl\u00e9\u2019s plastic pollution impact: http:\/\/media.greenpeace.org\/collection\/27MZIFJXNPE1S<\/a><\/p>\n Note to the editor:<\/strong><\/p>\n [1] Nestle aiming at 100% recyclable or reusable packaging by 2025<\/p>\n https:\/\/www.nestle.com\/media\/pressreleases\/allpressreleases\/nestle-recyclable-reusable-packaging-by-2025<\/p>\n