'Coke and Pepsi need to stop the deception.'
The world's two largest soda companies, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, are now locked in a legal battle with the U.S. Virgin Islands over the purported recyclability of its single-use plastic bottles.
In a lawsuit filed in April, the government accused the two companies of misleading consumers into believing that their single-use plastic bottles are recyclable. The island territory's two landfills can't keep up with the amount of plastic waste. That means it is piling up in public spaces. We're talking sidewalks, beaches, and other waterways.
Of course, plastic waste is a hot topic of conversation online and in real life. Microplastics are known to cause health issues in humans and other animals. And scientists are finding it in all kinds of random places in our bodies.
The lawsuit accuses Coca-Cola and PepsiCo of "engaging in deceptive trade practices." It also accuses them of violating multiple consumer protection laws. The U.S. Virgin Island says the companies are greenwashing their business model to avoid scrutiny in this area and downplaying the severity of the world's pollution crisis.
A month ago, Los Angeles County similarly sued Coca-Cola and PepsiCo over similar claims of its bottles clogging up landfills and public waterways. The Los Angeles County board chair said, "Coke and Pepsi need to stop the deception and take responsibility for the plastic pollution problems."
Coca-Cola and PepsiCo don't appear to have publicly addressed the claims.
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