In what is believed to be the first lawsuit of its type, CPM, acting on behalf of the Earth Island Institute, has brought suit against the top 10 companies most responsible for plastic pollution in the environment, including Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Nestle, over the misinformation they have spread about the recyclability of plastic and the environmental damage they have wrought. Rather than switch to more sustainable packaging and production practices, the suit alleges that the defendants continue to spread misinformation about the true causes and solutions to plastic pollution. By convincing consumers that the way to solve the plastic problem is through recycling, the defendants have externalized to the public the cost of their businesses’ product sales and distribution system, which creates mega-tons of plastic pollution. Despite the defendants being aware that the products are not actually recyclable, the suit alleges that the defendants have continued to mislead consumers by claiming in their advertising, marketing, and promotional materials that their products are recyclable. The lawsuit raises several claims against the defendants, including public nuisance, breach of warranty, negligence, defective product liability, and failure to warn.
