What's happened
Greenpeace activists blocked Unilever's London headquarters, demanding the company phase out single-use plastics. This protest highlights growing tensions between environmental groups and corporations over plastic pollution, particularly regarding Unilever's use of plastic sachets, which are difficult to recycle.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to The Independent, Greenpeace activists claimed Unilever's plastic pollution is 'trashing the planet and harming communities.' They demand an end to single-use plastics, particularly sachets, which they argue are 'near impossible to collect and recycle.' In contrast, Unilever maintains that it is committed to reducing plastic use and has already cut virgin plastic by 18%. ProPublica highlights the broader industry trend of companies lobbying for looser definitions of 'recyclable,' which could undermine sustainability efforts. This juxtaposition illustrates the conflict between corporate practices and environmental advocacy.
How we got here
The protest follows increasing scrutiny of plastic pollution and corporate responsibility. Greenpeace has been vocal about the environmental impact of single-use plastics, particularly from major corporations like Unilever, which has been identified as a leading seller of polluting plastic sachets.
More on these topics
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Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over 55 countries and an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational consumer goods company, headquartered in London, United Kingdom and Rotterdam, The Netherlands.