Nestlé, the world’s second-largest food and drink company, is joining the fray of the war on single-use plastics, issuing a statement of intent to phase out and eliminate plastic straws and other hard plastics from their products and replace them with eco-friendlier, recyclable alternatives.
“Our broader vision and action plan outline our commitment and specific approach to addressing the plastics packaging waste issue,” Nestlé CEO Mark Schneider said in a statement.
In recent years, awareness of the issue of plastic pollution, particularly as it impacts our oceans and waterways, has lead to public confrontation of the companies and organizations that promote their use. In recent months, New Zealand has banned single-use plastic bags and New York has banned single-use foam plastic containers in an attempt to strike out against the wasteful products.
Nestlé has already committed to using 100% recyclable and reusable materials by 2025, but phasing out single-use plastic straws is another important step forward. Beginning in February, 2019, plastic straws will be completely eliminated from Nestlé products and replaced with “alternative materials, like paper.” New packaging will also be rolled out that will discourage littering.
The company’s efforts are not stopping at simply phasing out single-use plastics and focusing on recycling. They have been forthright in acknowledging that recycling plastic does little to combat the epidemic of plastic waste. They are also partnering with Project STOP, which works to reduce plastic entering the oceans in South East Asia.
