AS Nestlé Anglo Dutch Caribbean continues its efforts to attain zero greenhouse gas emissions across its operations and to make its packaging either recyclable or reusable by the year 2025, the company highlighted some of its achievements on the heels of World Environment Day 2021, which was celebrated on June 5.

In a release, Nestlé said, as at December 2020, it has achieved zero waste to landfill at its Trinidad and Jamaica sites. It was done through the reduction of waste output and conversion of all waste streams to 90 per cent recyclable material, the release continued. It said, too, that the remaining 10 per cent of non-recyclable material is sent for incineration with energy recovery — all performed by local waste management and recycling partners.

New initiatives are already under way to reduce Nestlé’s carbon footprint, water and energy consumption even further, the release continued.

Since research has shown that it is the shared environmental footprint of humans that is degrading the ecosystem, Daryle Sankar, Nestlé’s regional safety health and environment manager, emphasised the importance of this focus for all citizens of the planet.

“As a collective, we must tread more lightly to decrease our impact on the environment by changing what we do, what we consume, and the waste we leave behind in order to reduce stress on our ecosystem. This mindset forms part of the core ethos of Nestlé,” Sankar said.

Nestlé said, too, that it has transitioned to the use of naturally sourced straws for its ready-to-drink juice and dairy products in both the Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica markets. Plans are also afoot for Nestlé Professional to begin the transition to 100 per cent biodegradable cups and lids at all its commercial locations across the Caribbean in June and July 2021.

As a result of these moves, the company said it will reduce the impact of approximately 45 million plastic straws and 24 million of non-biodegradable cups and lids per year.

“I would like to thank our entire team for making good on our promise to reduce our environmental footprint. In Jamaica, with the Government regulation that came into effect on January 1 banning the manufacture or use of any single plastic in commercial quantities, including drinking straws made wholly or in part of polyethylene or polypropylene, our team was put to the test,” Daniel Caron, Nestlé Jamaica’s country manager and business executive officer of Nestlé Professional, said as he praised the team’s efforts to achieve these milestones.

“This was not an easy job, especially given the challenges faced in 2020 within the context of COVID-19. As a team, we kept our commitment to ourselves, our consumers and our stakeholders, to deliver the best product, not just for consumers but for our planet. This is very close to our hearts, and our purpose as a company,” he said.

Consumers can locate Nestlé’s new naturally sourced straws in supermarkets and shops, while the biodegradable cups and lids will be found wherever Nescafe coffee machines are stationed.

Nestlé said it will continue working on initiatives aimed at further improving the sustainability of its operations and reducing non-recyclable packaging material.