Pepsi, Coke Face ‘Plastic Pollution’ Suit in California Court

Pepsi, Coca-Cola, and eight other consumer goods companies must face an environmental group’s pollution suit over allegedly misleading “recyclable” plastics in a California state court, after a federal court in the state rejected preemption and other arguments for federal court jurisdiction.

Earth Island Institute’s complaint raises only state-law claims on its face, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California said Tuesday. Nor does Earth Island seek any relief under federal law, or premise its claims on any violations of federal law, Judge Haywood S. Gilliam Jr. said in rejecting the companies’ bid to keep the litigation ...