June 2019 Nestlé announced their Poland Spring Water bottle to be made 100% of recycled plastic[1]. This is just a marketing ploy to prey on the ignorant. You cannot make a plastic product out of 100% recycled materials. As plastic is reused, it sheds off plastic polymers, or microplastics. It makes the host plastic product become weaker and deteriorate. To reuse the host product, you need to add virgin plastics to the equation to create a usable resource.[2] Nestlé has also implemented a new wrapping for their Yes! Bars created from biodegradable paper. Though a promising solution, the company is worried the packaging will promote people to be thoughtless when tossing their wrappers. [3]

               I admire Nestlé’s concern for the population and ensuring their products are supported by consumers while sustaining the environment. Duncan Pollard, head of sustainability has stated” …we need to make sure the new packaging solutions are safe and that consumers accept them….” Ulf Mark Schneider, the CEO of Nestlé felt it was wrong to only focus on creating reusable plastics when there are so many other areas that can be used as a solution to reducing waste in all areas.[4] That’s a pretty promising report, but there is still a monster lurking in the shadows.

               Nestlé is a major polluter in the plastic industry. Last year they produced nearly 1.7 million tons of plastic. Hundreds of activists all over the world gathered to create “Plastic Monsters,” as a commentary about the plastic production.[5]

This act pushed the problem to Nestlé’s front door, leaving the blatant image for the company to ponder. As part of response to this action, Europe as declared the elimination of single use plastics by 2021.[6] By 2025, Nestlé vows to make 100% of their packaging reusable or recyclable. They especially want a focus to be made on biodegradable products, prioritizing paper. Which opens another environmental enigma, but the sustainability coordinator shows no concern for deforestation as a factor in this process.[7] So, Nestlé recognizes their issues with over production of plastic, but there is still more factors to figure out.

 

[1] “What is Nestle doing to tackle plastic packaging waste?” Nestle Good Food, Good Life. Accessed 12, December 2019, https://www.nestle.com/ask-nestle/environment/answers/tackling-packaging-waste-plastic-bottles

[2] Howard, Brian C. “5 Recycling myths busted,” National Geographic, 31 October, 2018 accessed 12, December 2019. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2018/10/5-recycling-myths-busted-plastic/

[3] Roy, Sushmita, “Nestle Launches New Biodegradable Snack Packaging,” Global Citizen, 5 July 2019, Accessed 12 December 2019 https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/nestle-launches-new-biodegradable-paper-snack-pack/

[4] Koltrowitz, Silke,“Greenpeace calls for Nestle to act over single-use plastics,” Reuters, 11 April 2019, Accessed 12, December 2019 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nestle-greenpeace/greenpeace-calls-for-nestle-to-act-over-single-use-plastics-idUSKCN1RN1X8

[5] Fela, Jen. “Plastic monsters from around the world return home to Nestle,” GREENPEACE, 24 April 2019. Accessed 12 December 2019, https://www.greenpeace.org/international/story/21822/plastic-monsters-from-around-the-world-return-home-to-nestle/

[6] Rankin, Jennifer, “European parliament votes to ban single-use plastics,” The Guardian, 27 March 2019 accessed 12 December 2019, https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/mar/27/the-last-straw-european-parliament-votes-to-ban-single-use-plastics

[7] Dayen, Capucine, “Nestle swaps throwaway plastic for throwaway paper on snack bars,” GREEN PEACE, 3 July 2019, Accessed 12 December 2019 https://www.greenpeace.org/africa/en/press/7358/nestle-swaps-throwaway-plastic-for-throwaway-paper-on-snack-bars/