Report accuses palm oil industry of greenwashing

Watchdog defends itself from accusation of giving false credibility to its products

A worker collects palm oil fruits at a plantation in Bahau, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. PHOTO: REUTERS
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Consumers are being conned about the sustainability of palm oil used to make products from cosmetics and foodstuff to biofuels, said a report by an international environmental group yesterday.

But a global palm oil industry watchdog defended itself, saying that the report contained "glaring inaccuracies", "false" insinuations, and "nonsensical accusations".

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on November 04, 2019, with the headline Report accuses palm oil industry of greenwashing. Subscribe