A California resident filed a class action complaint in California Superior Court against a company that makes single-serve “coffee pods.” The complaint alleges that the company misrepresents the recyclability of their product. The alleged negative effects of plastic waste include one climate-related allegation: “The staggering amount of plastic waste accumulating in the environment is accompanied by an array of negative side effects. … More recently, scientists have discovered that, as it degrades, plastic waste releases large amounts of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. Thus, plastic waste is also thought to be a significant potential cause of global climate change.” The complaint asserts a breach of an express warranty, violations of the California Consumers Legal Remedies Act, and violations of California’s unfair competition law.

Class action lawsuit alleging that defendant misrepresented the recyclability of single-use "coffee pods," which the complaint alleged have numerous negative effects, including contributing to methane emissions.

Smith v. Keurig Green Mountain, Inc.

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Class Action Filed in California Court Alleging Misrepresentation of Recyclability of Single-Serve Coffee Pods

Filed

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An aim to achieve a quantifiable outcome within a given time-frame, set by an institution such as a national government.

Policy instruments are techniques or tools used by governing authorities to promote certain policies in order to achieve predetermined goals. Put simply, instruments are how a government tries to achieve its goals, with this taxonomy being focused on national policy instruments.

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A set of principles, processes, and practices that build economic and political power to shift from an extractive economy to a regenerative economy.

Justice is the ethical and political framework that addresses fairness, including issues of responsibility, rights, and structural inequity.

Renewable energy means all forms of energy produced from renewable sources in a sustainable manner.

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Molecules in the atmosphere that play a key role in the greenhouse effect by trapping heat radiating from Earth’s surface.

Area of the economy in which actors engage in identical or related activities.

In human systems, the process of adjustment to actual or expected climate change and its effects, in order to moderate harm, increase resilience or exploit beneficial opportunities. In natural systems, the process of adjustment to actual climate change and its effects; human intervention may facilitate adjustment to expected climate change and its effects.

The management and allocation of funds, assets and investments to meet various objectives

A ban is a legal action that prevents the sale or supply of a product or service, or that recalls a product from the market. Examples are bans on SF6, greenwashing, fossil fuel advertisement or single-use plastics.

Either money or something of monetary value is transferred between two or more organisations, people or countries.

A potent, short-lived greehouse gas, largely released from livestock, fossil fuel extraction and waste management.

Terrestrial means "of the earth" and relates to the risks to ecological system that includes all living organisms and their interactions within land-based environments, such as forests, grasslands, and deserts.

The activities of industries that transforms raw materials into finished goods through industrial processes.

This sector involves managing waste treatment, sanitation, pollution control and environmental cleanup.

This sector creates and distributes information and entertainment through television, radio, print, and digital platforms.

Any substance with chemical properties that can cause physical harm to people or damage the environment, including ammonia, carbon monoxide, phosphine, chlorine, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, pesticides, dioxins, microplastics, benzene, asbestos, aflatoxins, fluoride, methanol, and toxins from marine sources.

Class Action Filed in California Court Alleging Misrepresentation of Recyclability of Single-Serve Coffee Pods

Target

Policy instrument

Risk

Greenhouse gas

Economic sector

Finance