The U.S. Virgin Islands government is suing PepsiCo and Coca-Cola over the companies’ alleged roles in the territory’s “dire” plastic waste problem.
The lawsuit claims the companies have deceived consumers by advertising their single-use plastic bottles as an “environmentally responsible choice,” according to an April 11 filing in the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands.
The defendants named in the case also include CC One Virgin Islands, LLC, a beverage distributor, and PepsiCo Caribbean, a division of PepsiCo.
“Due in significant part to Defendants’ conduct in falsely promoting and distributing single-use plastic, the Virgin Islands faces a waste management crisis,” the lawsuit says.
USA TODAY contacted PepsiCo, Coca-Cola and CC One Virgin Islands on May 14 but has not received a response.
‘The situation is now dire’
The Virgin Islands government accuses the companies of contributing to a plastic waste problem because they sell “excessive amounts of beverages packaged in single-use plastic bottles without implementing or paying for an environmentally responsible way to dispose of them.”
The government also said the territory’s two landfills have been near or at capacity for years and will need to be shut down in the coming years. Recycling is also “particularly difficult and expensive” because barges must be used to transport the items off the island, according to the lawsuit.
“There is limited space for landfills on the islands, significantly increasing the difficulty in finding a viable solution to the explosion of plastic waste,” the government said in the filing.
The complaint further adds that “the situation is now dire.”
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Lawsuit alleges PepsiCo, Coca-Cola have deceived consumers about plastic use
The lawsuit further alleges that both PepsiCo and Coca-Cola knowingly deceived consumers and “have engaged in disinformation campaigns” regarding single-use plastics.
“PepsiCo and Coca-Cola are aware that consumers have become increasingly sensitive to sustainability and recycling and have attempted to brand themselves as sustainable, despite the reality,” the lawsuit says.
The plaintiffs said marketing campaigns from both PepsiCo and Coca-Cola over the years have misled consumers into believing the companies’ products are environmentally sustainable.
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How do single-use plastics impact the environment?
Single-use plastics are a type of plastic that is used once before being thrown away or recycled, such as soda bottles, straws and coffee stirrers, according to Plastic Free Challenge.
Once these items are thrown away, they are often dumped at landfills and can end up in the ocean, where they can take centuries to break down, according to Oceana.
In turn, these plastics break down into smaller pieces known as microplastics, which can harm humans and animals if large amounts are ingested over time, research shows.
Meanwhile, the plastic industry rejects some of this research.
Matt Seaholm, CEO and president of the Plastics Industry Association, said in a recent statement to USA TODAY that plastic provides “unmatched safety, protection, and efficiency across countless applications while offering the potential for reuse and recycling.”
Contributing: Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY
Melina Khan is a trending reporter covering national news for USA TODAY. She can be reached at MKhan@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: US Virgin Islands sues Pepsi, Coca-Cola over plastic waste
