Coca-Cola Sued Over Polluted Runoff Allegedly Entering Lake Washington
A local environmental group has filed a lawsuit against Swire Coca-Cola, USA, and Western Washington Coca-Cola Bottling over alleged polluted runoff from their Bellevue bottling facility entering Lake Washington. The Waste Action Project claims that excessive levels of zinc, copper, and other pollutants were released into Goff Creek, which ultimately flows into the lake.
The lawsuit alleges that Swire Coca-Cola has violated the Clean Water Act by releasing pollutants in excess of permitted benchmarks. Nearly all of the evidence cited comes from Coca-Cola's own data, including quarterly samples of runoff submitted to the Washington Department of Ecology and annual reports.
The company is required to develop and implement a proper stormwater pollution prevention plan, but the lawsuit alleges that this has not been done. The Waste Action Project is seeking penalties of up to $68,445 per violation per day and wants the court to declare Coca-Cola's actions as violating the Clean Water Act.
In response to the lawsuit, Swire Coca-Cola stated that it takes the concerns 'seriously' and has a robust stormwater management program in place. The company also emphasized its commitment to environmental responsibility and continuous improvement of its practices.