Switzerland-based food and drink firm Nestlé has said that it will phase out all plastics that are not recyclable or are hard to recycle for all its products worldwide between 2020 and 2025.
Image: Nestlé headquarters in Vevey, Switzerland. Photo: courtesy of Nestlé / Flickr.
Nestlé laid out its vision to achieve a waste-free future and unveiled a series of measures towards meeting its April 2018 commitment to make 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025.
With a main focus on eliminating plastic-waste, the company intends to address multifaceted issue of plastic pollution through specific actions such as development of alternative materials for waste-free future.
Last December, Nestlé announced the establishment of Institute of Packaging Sciences to assess and develop different sustainable packaging materials, as well as to collaborate with industrial partners to develop new packaging materials and solutions.
From February this year, the company will replace the plastic straws with alternative materials such as paper to reduce littering.
Nestlé will launch paper packaging for Nesquik in the first quarter of this year, and for the Yes! snack bar in the second half of this year.
Nestlé Waters is planning to increase the recycled PET content in its bottles to 35% by 2025 at the global level, and around 50% in the US.
Nestlé Waters will also increase the recycled PET content for its European brands such as Acqua Panna, Buxton, Henniez and Levissima to 50% by 2025
Nestlé has collaborated with PureCycle Technologies to manufacture food-grade recycled Polypropylene (PP). The company has committed to eliminate single-use plastic items that cannot be recycled at all of its 4,200 facilities.
In another development, Nestlé has collaborated with biodegradable plastic products producer Danimer Scientific for the development of biodegradable bottles.
The partnership will design and produce bio-based resins for Nestlé’s water business through using Danimer Scientific’s PHA polymer Noda, which is a biodegradable alternative to petrochemical plastics.
Nestlé CEO Mark Schneider said, “Our broader vision and action plan outline our commitment and specific approach to addressing the plastics packaging waste issue.
“While we are committed to pursuing recycling options where feasible, we know that 100% recyclability is not enough to successfully tackle the plastics waste crisis. We need to push the boundaries and do more.”