New York sues PepsiCo over plastics it says pollute, hurt health
investing.comBy Clark Mindock and Jonathan Stempel
NEW YORK (Reuters) -New York state sued PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) on Wednesday, accusing the beverage and snack food giant of polluting the environment and endangering public health through its single-use plastic bottles, caps and wrappers.
The lawsuit filed in state court in upstate Erie County is among the first by a U.S. state to target a major plastics producer.
State Attorney General Letitia James accused PepsiCo of contributing to a public nuisance by generating a significant share of plastic waste found in and near the upstate Buffalo River, including more than 17% of trash that could be readily traced to specific brands.
She also said the company failed to warn consumers about the potential health and environmental risks of plastics in its more than 100 brands, and misled the public about its efforts to fight plastics pollution.
James said such pollution can enter drinking water after breaking down, contributing to health problems.
«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,» she said in a statement.
PepsiCo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The complaint said health problems can include early puberty in females, reduced sperm counts, altered functions of reproductive organs, obesity, altered sex-specific behaviors, and increased rates of some types of cancers. The effects from plastic additives have been observed in mammals, and researchers expect the same effects would be observed in humans, the lawsuit said.
The New York lawsuit also said PepsiCo has deceived consumers by announcing various targets to reduce the amount of non-recycled
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