“The Virgin Islands are facing a waste management crisis,” the lawsuit states.
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The US Virgin Islands government is suing PepsiCo and Coca-Cola for the role of businesses in the issue of “disastrous” plastic waste on the territory.
The lawsuit alleges that businesses deceived consumers by promoting their disposable plastic bottles as “environmentally responsible choices,” according to an April 11 filing in the Virgin Islands Superior Court.
Defendants appointed in the case also include divisions of CC One Virgin Islands, LLC, Beverage Distributor, Pepsico Caribbean and Pepsico.
“The Virgin Islands are facing a waste management crisis, and this is due to the defendant’s actions to mistakenly promote and distribute a series of plastic used,” the lawsuit states.
USA Today contacted PepsiCo, Coca-Cola and CC One Virgin Islands on May 14th, but there was no response.
“The situation is tragic right now.”
The Virgin Islands government accuss businesses of contributing to the plastic waste problem as they “sell excessive amounts of beverages packaged in disposable plastic bottles without the need to equip or pay an environmentally responsible way.
The government also said that two landfills on the territory have either been close to capacity for years or are capable and should be closed in the coming years. The lawsuit says recycling is also “particularly difficult and expensive” as barges must be used to transport barges from the island.
“The limited space in the island’s landfills will significantly increase the difficulty of finding viable solutions to the explosion of plastic waste,” the government said in its submission.
The complaint adds, “The situation is now dire.”
The lawsuit alleges that PepsiCo and Coca-Cola deceived consumers over plastic use
The lawsuit further alleges that both PepsiCo and Coca-Cola are deliberately deceiving consumers and “engaging in a disinformation campaign” over single-use plastics.
“PepsiCo and Coca-Cola recognize that consumers have become increasingly sensitive to sustainability and recycling and have tried to brand themselves as sustainable despite the reality,” the lawsuit states.
The plaintiffs said over the years marketing campaigns from both PepsiCo and Coca-Cola have misunderstood consumers in believing that the company’s products are environmentally sustainable.
How does single-use plastic affect the environment?
According to the Plastic Free Challenge, single-use plastic is a type of plastic that is used once before being thrown away or recycled, such as soda bottles, straws, and stir-fried coffee.
According to Oceana, if these items are thrown away, they can be dumped in landfills and then dumped into the sea.
These plastics are then broken down into small pieces known as microplastics.
Meanwhile, the plastics industry has rejected some of the research.
Matt Seaholm, CEO and President of Plastics Industry Association, said in a recent statement to USA Today that plastic “provides reuse and recycling possibilities while providing unparalleled safety, protection and efficiency across countless applications.”
Contribution: Elizabeth Weise, USA Today
Melina Kahn is a trending reporter covering USA Today’s national news. She can be contacted at mkhan@gannett.com.
