Nestlé faces €750,000 fine for alleged illegal waste disposal in France

Nestlé is facing a €750,000 fine in France over claims of illegal waste disposal near its Vittel bottling plant. Prosecutors have accused the company of operating four unauthorised landfills, containing over 473,000 cubic metres of waste. The case was heard before the criminal court in Nancy this week. French prosecutors pushed for a guilty verdict against Nestlé, alleging serious breaches of environmental law. They argued that the company had dumped vast quantities of waste without proper permits. If convicted, Nestlé would also be required to clean up the affected sites.

The original charges included direct environmental pollution, but these were later dropped. Investigators found microplastic contamination at the locations, yet evidence failed to prove harmful levels to the environment or public health.

The case comes as France prepares for stricter EU environmental crime directives, such as Directive 2024/1203. However, recent searches found no public records on similar prosecutions or fines for environmental violations in the country over the past five years. A decision on the €750,000 fine and potential remediation orders now rests with the court. The outcome could set a precedent for how French authorities handle large-scale waste disposal cases. No timeline for the verdict has been announced yet.