Press Statement 

For Immediate Release

November 11, 2019 

Nestlé to switch to paper straws for UHT drinks in Malaysia and Indonesia is not a solution.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Nestlé Malaysia and Indonesia have opted to exchange plastic straws for paper straws on UHT drinks. 

In response, Greenpeace Malaysia Campaigner Heng Kiah Chun said:
“Multinational companies like Nestlé, whose impact is widespread, need to address the root of the plastics crisis — single-use products and throw-away culture.

“Shifting from plastic to paper is not a viable solution. Southeast Asia urgently needs Nestlé to proactively address this problem at the root and put forward ambitious targets for plastic reduction, by reassessing their delivery systems based on reuse and refill if they want to tackle this crisis.

“Plastic straws to paper straws is a superficial response. And this quick plastic-to-paper switch is worrying, especially coming from a region that is already heavily logged and has faced widespread forest destruction this year.

“Given Malaysia’s very low recycling rate, we wonder how and why Nestlé thinks this is a long-term solution into the waste crisis that they have helped create in the first place.”

Greenpeace Indonesia Urban Campaigner, Muharram Atha Rasyadi said:
“Nestlé’s policy change from plastic straws to paper straws is a misguided solution. We can see that the policy will drive up paper demand, increase land clearing, and fuel deforestation. Indonesia needs Nestlé to implement a circular economy and apply reuse and refill concepts. Unilever already has a bulstore refill pilot project. Nestlé should catch up.” 

ENDS

Notes:
Nestlé was one of the top corporate plastic polluters identified in a worldwide cleanup and brand audit effort conducted by the Break Free From Plastic coalition last year. Full results here: https://www.greenpeace.org/international/press-release/18872/coca-cola-pepsico-and-nestle-found-to-be-worst-plastic-polluters-worldwide-in-global-cleanups-and-brand-audits/ 

Contacts:
Capucine Dayen, Greenpeace USA Global Comms Lead for Plastics: +33 647 971 819, [email protected] 

Greenpeace International Press Desk: +31 (0)20 718 2470 (available 24 hours), [email protected]