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New York state sues PepsiCo over plastic pollution in Buffalo River | US News<\/p>\n
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New York state has sued PepsiCo for allegedly polluting one of its rivers with plastic bottles and wrappers.<\/p>\n
The lawsuit accuses the soft drinks company and its Frito-Lay subsidiaries of creating a public nuisance by the mass production of the single-use items, some of which inevitably fall or blow into the Buffalo River when they are discarded.<\/p>\n
The legal action alleges PepsiCo has hurt the environment, claiming it is partly responsible for litter that ends up in water supplying the city of Buffalo with drinking water.<\/p>\n
The lawsuit was filed in the state’s Supreme Court by attorney general Letitia James who said: “No company is too big to ensure that their products do not damage our environment and public health.<\/p>\n
“All New Yorkers have a basic right to clean water, yet PepsiCo’s irresponsible packaging and marketing endanger Buffalo’s water supply, environment, and public health.”<\/p>\n
The attorney general’s office noted that a 2022 survey named PepsiCo as the single largest identifiable contributor to plastic<\/strong> waste in the Buffalo River.<\/p>\n It found that of 1,916 pieces of plastic waste containing an identifiable brand, 17.1% were produced by PepsiCo. McDonald’s <\/strong>was a distant second.<\/p>\n The lawsuit links the plastic waste to the prevalence of microplastics, which are pieces less than 5mm in length and could be harmful to human health if ingested.<\/p>\n Ms James, a Democrat<\/strong>, wants PepsiCo to warn customers about the potential health and environmental risks of its packaging.<\/p>\n