SHAH ALAM: Nestle Malaysia Bhd is on track to have 100,000 households participate in its door-to-door collection and recycling programme by the end of this year.
The programme, which began in 2020, was first initiated in Petaling Jaya (PJ), and to date, the company has approximately 70,000 households from PJ, Subang Jaya, Shah Alam and Kuala Lumpur involved in the programme.
Chief executive officer Juan Aranols said the company works alongside recyclers and municipalities in the Klang Valley to create an infrastructure that makes it easy for the public to recycle.
"There are trucks that go around these neighbourhoods, and we provide tools for people to separate their waste correctly. These get picked up once or twice a week/
"Currently, there are 70,000 households on board, and it is growing," he told the New Straits Times.
The company is also accelerating its efforts to tackle plastic waste by expanding further the use of environmentally-friendly packaging for its ready-to-drink (RTD) products.
Aranols said the company is the first in Malaysia to use high quality recycled plastic resin (rPET) for its RTD products in plastic bottle format.
He noted that 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 per cent of its packaging recyclable and reusable by 2025, both globally and in Malaysia.
To date, 90 per cent of Nestle Malaysia's packaging materials are already designed for recycling.
"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 per cent rPET bottles and more paper-based packaging solutions, we reduce the use of virgin plastic and improve our carbon dioxide footprint. This reflects our company's ongoing commitment to share a waste-free future," he said in his speech at the briefing on its initiatives for its RTD products.
Nestle has also eliminated the single-use plastic shrink wrap for its MILO UHT 125ml products, replacing it with 100 per cent sustainable sourced recycled paper.
Aranols said the company is working to extend this invitation to the rest of the UHT range.
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 had previously introduced other sustainable packaging innovations, including a paper pouch for Milo mixes, 100 per cent paper sampling cups for its Milo vans, and paper wraps for some of its ice cream products.
"We in Nestle 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," added Aranols.