Sucking dry an already drought-stricken water table, illegally
pumping and monopolizing water resources, an embezzlement probe, and
now plastic and chemical pollution. Nestlé Waters is behind
all of this.
Not surprised? We are not either, but just like the
people of Vittel in France, we are shocked and
appalled.
There are no less than 9 illegal dumps, some of which are more
than 50 years old, scattered around the mineral water territory of
Vittel and Contrexéville in Eastern France. That’s enough
plastic and chemical waste to fill several dozens of Olympic
swimming pools.
This pollution is denounced by brave locals. One of them,
the farmer Didier Thouvenin, is now facing a legal complaint from
Agrivair, a "green" subsidiary of Nestlé. He is accused of
trespassing on Nestlé's land to expose the massive illegal dumping
site next to his farm. Enough with the bullying:
Tell
Nestlé to clean up its illegal dumps and leave Didier Thouvenin in
peace.
Every year, more than 1.5 billion plastic bottles bearing the
Vittel, Contrex or Hépar labels leave the Nestlé Waters factories
around Vittel. With 245 million euros in sales and 900 jobs, Nestlé
feels almighty. The powerful multinational doesn't care
about laws, the environment, or the people.
Since 2014 and the discovery of the first illegal plastic dump,
Nestlé hasn't done anything -- well, it did try to
cover up this scandal. It's only recently, after media attention was
drawn on two newly discovered dumps that the Swiss polluting giant,
in a desperate communication move, has admitted the existence of 9
illegal dumps in total.
And instead of cleaning up and rehabilitating the contaminated
land, Nestlé and its subsidiary Agrivair have found nothing better
to do than to sue the farmer who first sounded the alarm back in
2014. What a shame! We must expose Nestlé's mafia-like
behavior before it is too late for Didier :
Demand
that Nestlé leave Didier Thouvenin alone and de-pollute its illegal
plastic dumps.
Behind its paper thin ecological facade, the Swiss multinational
-- which is fond of greenwashed marketing campaigns -- has been
caught red-handed. The polluting giant is now revealing its
true face to the world.
The soil is polluted, but even worse is the potential
pollution of the region's water supply. The same water
that’s bottled and sold as Vittel, Contrex and Hépar mineral water.
If we don't act now, Nestlé could once again get away with
appropriating and destroying public resources.
Together, SumOfUs members and the people of Vittel have
already defeated Nestlé. Last year, as a result of your
massive mobilization and support of the people of Vittel, you helped
stop an environmentally destructive water pipeline project.
Nestlé is nervous. This legal action against Didier Thouvenin is
proof of that. It's time for us to turn up the pressure on
Nestlé and deliver the final blow.
Tell
Nestlé to clean up the region and that you support the heroism and
courage of Didier Thouvenin.
