Nestlé Facilities to Axe Single-Use Plastic in Overall Drive to Tackle Waste

Pictured: the Nescafé Dolce Gusto factory in Montes Claros, Brazil, achieved a zero waste milestone.

Nestlé says that all 4,200 of its facilities worldwide will eliminate single-use plastic items and will replace them with materials that can be recycled or reused. Facilities will also ensure that they have the proper means to collect and handle recyclable materials like PET and aluminum. The pledges are two steps in an action plan the company announced this week; the action plan is the specific approach the company will use to achieve its goals — announced last spring — of addressing the issue of plastics waste.

Last April, the company announced a goal of having 100% of its packaging be recyclable or reusable by 2025, but in order to fully address plastics waste, “we need to push the boundaries and do more,” according to Nestlé CEO Mark Schneider. The company must embrace multiple solutions and every option in order to solve the “complex challenge,” he says. “We believe in the value of recyclable and compostable paper-based materials and biodegradable polymers, in particular where recycling infrastructure does not exist,” Schneider says.

Other Steps in the Action Plan

Pioneering alternative materials: As it begins to ensure recyclable or reusable materials in its packaging, Nestlé is rolling out alternative materials. For example:

• Starting in February 2019, Nestlé will begin to eliminate plastic straws from its products, using alternative materials like paper as well as innovative designs to reduce littering.
• Nestlé will also start rolling out paper packaging for Nesquik in the first quarter of 2019 and for the Yes! snack bar in the second half of 2019. Smarties will start rolling out plastic-free packaging in 2019 and Milo will introduce paper-based pouches in 2020.
• Nestlé Waters will increase the recycled PET content in its bottles to 35% by 2025 at the global level and will reach 50% in the US.
• Nestlé is collaborating with Danimer Scientific to develop a marine biodegradable and recyclable bottle for its water business.
• Nestlé is also collaborating with PureCycle Technologies to produce food-grade recycled Polypropylene (PP). PureCycle Technologies is commercializing recycling technologies that can remove color, odor, and contaminants from plastic waste feedstock in order to transform it into the virgin-like resin. Polypropylene is a polymer commonly used for packing food in trays, tubs, cups and bottles.

Keeping plastic from the environment: Nestlé says it has a longer-term ambition to stop plastic leakage into the environment across its global operations. This will help avoid further accumulation of plastics in nature and achieve “plastic neutrality.”

• Nestlé has partnered with Project STOP, which was launched in Indonesia in 2017 to create circular and low-cost waste systems that capture as much value from waste as possible and ultimately keep waste from the oceans.

Driving change: Nestlé employees in all locations will dedicate their volunteering days to the removal of litter and participate in clean-up activities on World Ocean Day on June 8, 2019.