Nestlé and Unilever are responsible for a quarter of the branded throwaway plastic driving the plastic pollution crisis in the Philippines, according to a report published today by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA).
The companies were named the top polluters based on a series of brand and waste audits conducted in six cities and one province in the country. The report, conducted in collaboration with the University of Santo Tomas’ Research Center for Social Sciences and Education (RCSSEd), provides new evidence exposing Nestlé and Unilever’s overproduction of single-use sachets (small packets containing single-use quantities of any material) that are marketed in the Global South, but not other parts of the world.
In response to the GAIA report’s findings, Greenpeace Southeast Asia (Philippines) Campaigner Abigail Aguilar said:
“Once again, this report suggests that although countries in Southeast Asia are being blamed for the plastic pollution crisis, the responsibility lies with multinational corporations like Nestlé and Unilever that continue to expand their production of unnecessary throwaway plastic at the expense of our communities, waterways, and health.”
“Nestlé and Unilever need to stop deflecting the blame for plastic pollution onto individuals. These companies are responsible for this crisis and the only solution is for them to significantly reduce the production of throwaway plastics and move toward refill and reuse systems for their customers throughout the world. It’s time to reject overconsumption and the corporations that continue to sell it to us.”
