Nestlé announced that it will join recycling partners in creating a compostable fiber cup that is fully recyclable as the company continues to run towards its goal of a future with 100 percent reusable packaging.
According to Food Processing Australia, Nestlé is creating the recyclable cup as part of the NextGen Consortium and Cup Challenge. Company Chief Technology Officer, Stefan Palzer said of the venture, "Solving the issue of plastic waste requires collaboration among many different stakeholders. We are excited to join the NextGen Consortium and Cup Challenge as it brings together start-ups, industry partners and suppliers to find an industry-wide, global packaging solution for sustainable to-go cups."
The NextGen Consortium is composed of global companies that share the goal of creating advanced designs and alternatives for the food packaging industry. The association's cup challenge has been calling on industry enthusiasts and innovators who want to develop to-go fiber cups that should help address the world's dilemma on plastic waste.
Launched in October last year, the Cup Challenge is looking to announce its winners sometime this month. If Nestlé wins, the food giant will receive up to $1 million in funding for projects that will further encourage the idea of reusable packaging.
Previously, the Swiss food and drink firm announced its plans to completely eradicate its use of plastic that cannot be recycled between 2020 and 2025. Nestlé said the initiative is applicable for all of its products worldwide.
The company will begin with phasing out plastic straws from its products this month. Alternative materials will be used in lieu of plastic straws to reduce the brand's contributions to global waste. In fact, it has already started its mission.
Packaging Europe reported that Nestlé has partnered with SIG Combibloc Group (SIG) to launch paper straws for on-the-go beverages. It is the first company to introduce SIG's non-plastic solution to the packaging industry. It has already started testing the product in the Dominican Republic market.
Nesquik is among the company's first products that will receive paper packaging sometime in the first quarter of this year. The brand's Yes! snack bar will also get its paper packaging but in the latter half of 2019.
Late last month, the Switzerland-based food firm released its "Negative List" that identified plastic materials the company has rejected for packaging used for reasons that the said materials make it hard for recycling.
According to Chemical Watch, Nestlé's "Negative List" includes polystyrene (PS), regenerated cellulose, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), expanded polystyrene (Eps), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), and other plastic and paper combinations that have non-reusable properties.
