Pepsi, Coke Suits Signal Heightened Angst Over Plastic Bottles

The detritus of plastic bottles in waterways and landfills is spilling into action in courthouses and statehouses across the country.

Soft drink makers the Coca-Cola Co. and PepsiCo Inc. were sued by Los Angeles County in late October for allegedly misleading consumers about the recyclability of their plastic bottles—the latest in a string of greenwashing lawsuits against Coca-Cola claiming the company overstated its environmental credentials in recent years. Separately, PepsiCo. scored a win this month in a suit brought by the New York attorney general that sought to hold the drinks giant accountable for pollution in the Buffalo River.

As ...