The company’s packaging was found to be the most significant contributor to plastic waste clogging the Buffalo River.
Plastic trash produced by the company PepsiCo has become a “persistent and dangerous form of plastic pollution” for residents of the Buffalo River watershed in upstate New York, according to a new lawsuit filed Wednesday.
The suit, brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, is one of the first legal challenges from a state against a major plastic producer. It draws on a 2022 investigation from James’ office in which PepsiCo-branded plastic packaging was found to be by far the most significant contributor to plastic waste clogging the Buffalo River and its tributaries. Out of nearly 2,000 pieces of plastic trash collected at 13 sites along the waterways, PepsiCo products — which include brands like Aquafina, Cheetos, Gatorade, and Lay’s — accounted for more than 17 percent of those with identifiable branding.
All that plastic litter is breaking down into tiny fragments — microplastics — that are winding up in Buffalo’s water supply and the fish that people eat. Some of the chemicals contained in microplastics are carcinogenic, and researchers have raised concerns that the particles could cause reproductive dysfunction and other maladies.
“PepsiCo’s irresponsible packaging and marketing endanger Buffalo’s water supply, environment, and public health,” James said in a statement.
I would love if manufacturers brought back glass bottles. Drinks stayed fresh for longer times. It’s reusable and renewable. It’s environmentally more friendly. It’s just better. And I wouldn’t mind bringing bottles back to the store.
Plastic is a waste product and thus cheaper as ANYTHING.
We need to TAX PLASTIC all the other problems will disappear and new solutions and old solutions will reappear.
5-10$/kilo plastic base tax (or duty/levie/etc) would deplastify the world!
If that only hit the companies and not the consumers, sure.
Not she why you got downvoted, pepsico and anyone else would do exactly this.
They would pass the extra cost onto you and then have you direct your anger towards “inflation”, “the economy” or whatever governmental head is in charge of your country
It would also make glass bottles cheaper. Consumers tend to choose cheaper. Especially if more environmentally friendly.
I don’t know either. People seem to think companies won’t do everything in their power not to lose another penny even if it cost you your and their future. Future is for future, let them deal with it they have quarterly figures to worry about. :/
Some people don’t know how much better Snapple used to taste.
I have never tried it, so I can’t tell either. But I do remember Bitter Lemon, Coca-Cola even. They were so much better from glass bottles.
I’m all about glass. Recyclable, turns into sand eventually, all that. But we gonna burn more fuel to move all that extra mass around?
Love states that charge extra for containers and provide a refund. You won’t find shit laying around when people get $.10 for picking it up. Total no brainer.
Transport will eventually have to go green anyway. If we are going to talk pointless transport then there are a lot of easier examples to pick. From tropical fruit to phones and small electronics. Aside from toilet paper rarely anything is produced close to where we live. Refund is definitely the way, people have to be stimulated into acting humanly, ironically enough.
Out national Coca Cola alternative (more herbal taste, and is made locally) started producing glass bottles again last year, and they sell them in these cute 6-pack half-beer crates that you can connect and they are compatible with existing beer crates.
Cool. We have a local, herbal focused, brand as well which I much prefer to CocaCola, Pepsi and the likes. They actually do sell glass bottles in 0.25l size, but 2l is in plastic bottle.