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The team showcasing the latest sustainable packaging solutions. (Photo credit: Nestlé Malaysia)

rPET transition

NESTLÉ Malaysia pioneers the adoption of recycled plastic to make the bottles of its ready-to-drink products

Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

Nestlé Malaysia is accelerating its efforts to tackle plastic waste by expanding further the use of environmentally-friendly packaging. The Company is the first in Malaysia to use high-quality recycled plastic resin (rPET) for its Ready-to-Drink (RTD) products in plastic bottles format. 

This move is in line with the Company’s pledge to reduce the use of virgin plastics by at least one-third and make 100% of its packaging recyclable and reusable by 2025 globally, and also in Malaysia. To date, 90% of Nestlé Malaysia’s packaging materials are already designed for recycling. 

The Company has also eliminated the single-use plastic shrink wrap for its MILO UHT 125ml products, replacing it with 100% sustainably sourced recyclable paper, and is working to extend this innovation to the rest of the UHT range.

Juan Aranols, Chief Executive Officer, Nestlé (Malaysia) Berhad, said, “Making packaging greener and increasing collection for recycling are key actions in our sustainability agenda. Plastic waste remains a global issue and we are working harder than ever to deliver innovative solutions that are better for the environment. By transitioning to 100% rPET bottles and more paper-based packaging solutions, we reduce the use of virgin plastic and improve our CO2 footprint. This reflects our Company’s ongoing commitment to shape a waste-free future.”

“This is a meaningful initiative under our “MILO Sayang Bumi” platform launched last year. We aspire to make MILO the first plastic and carbon neutral brand in Malaysia by 2025. This also supports the Malaysia Plastics Sustainability Roadmap 2030 which aims to address plastic waste pollution and incentivise circularity in the use of plastics to mitigate environmental impact.”

“We in Nestlé Malaysia have a rich cumulative experience and a strong understanding of systems for collection and recycling. We aim to lead by example and look forward to including our retail partners and suppliers in these efforts.”

“We hope that through these initiatives we can contribute to raising awareness and a change in the behaviour of the general public to make the planet a better place for all. Ultimately, we can only achieve a greener future through collective efforts,” added Aranols.

In 2020, Nestlé Malaysia also became the first in ASEAN to introduce sustainably sourced paper straws for its entire UHT range, eliminating over 200 million plastic straws per year.

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The Company continues to spearhead several initiatives to further its sustainability journey, including the CAREton Project in partnership with Tetra Pak to transform used beverage cartons into ‘green’ roofing tiles and panel boards. Additionally, the Company has previously introduced other sustainable packaging innovations, including a paper pouch for MILO Mixes, the use of 100% paper sampling cups for its MILO vans and paper wraps for some of its ice-cream products.

Nestlé Malaysia is also partnering with recyclers and municipalities in the Klang Valley to extend systems for collection and recycling and expects to reach 100,000 households by 2022.

www.nestle.com

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