(NewsNation) — A lawsuit was filed Wednesday by Los Angeles County counsel against Coca-Cola Co. and PepsiCo Inc. for plastic pollution and allegedly deceiving the public about product recyclability, according to a county press release.
This lawsuit also accuses the companies of failing to disclose significant environmental and health impacts associated with plastic containers.
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“The lawsuit alleges that Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have mispresented the environmental impact of plastic beverage containers, claiming that they are ‘recyclable’ despite knowing that plastics cannot be readily disposed of without associated environmental impacts,” the press release stated.
Los Angeles County Board Chair Lindsey P. Horvath said that the county is committed to reducing plastic waste and doing more to protect the environment.
In addition to the waste, the lawsuit said the greenhouse gas emissions from production have negatively impacted and threatened all county residents.
“Coke and Pepsi need to stop the deception and take responsibility for the plastic pollution problems your products are causing,” Horvath said.
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The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday by County Counsel Dawyn R. Harrison. The press release said the suit was created in response to an overwhelming number of complaints from residents and consumers across the state.
NewsNation has attached the official complaint. Included in the lawsuit is a request for restitution for consumers and civil penalties of up to $2,500 per violation.
NewsNation has reached out to both Coca-Cola and PepsiCo for comment but has yet to hear back.
NewsNation local affiliate KTLA contributed to this report.
