The Indian Himalayas are among the world's most stunning natural landforms, but food and packaging waste cover them. The primary culprit for the third consecutive year is PepsiCo, reported Mongabay.

What's happening?

In 2024, volunteers in nine Indian Himalayan states gathered 121,739 pieces of waste, and 84.2% of it was plastic from food and beverage packaging. PepsiCo's many brands — including Lay's and Bingo — were the most prominent offenders.

Around 77% of this was nonrecyclable, including wrappers, straws, sachets, and more. The affected regions have no infrastructure to repurpose these materials, either, leaving them destined for landfills near the mountain bases.

A member from Zero Waste Himalaya said, "With dramatic changes in consumption patterns and higher tourist inflows due to excessive warming in the plains, the existing management systems are unable to cope with the rapid increase and changes in type of waste."

Why is plastic pollution important?

The trash is a reflection of society. Sting — one of PepsiCo's energy drink brands — comprised 20% of the garbage. This highlights poor waste practices for recyclable materials and consumers' unhealthy drinking habits, which corporations like PepsiCo encourage.

It is also essential because this marks the corporation's third straight year as the reigning polluting champion. Other businesses and citizens have allowed PepsiCo to erode the Indian Himalayas, which calls for more action and collaboration.

Plastic takes around 20 years to decompose as it releases harmful dyes, chemicals, and microplastics into the environment. A single plastic bottle could impact a community and its wildlife for decades after someone conveniently tosses it into a trash can.

PepsiCo has used greenwashing over the years in response to negative publicity with regard to plastic pollution, but helpful initiatives are coming to light. The PepsiCo Positive program is a reusable packaging initiative inspired by its acquisition of SodaStream. Customers can refill their Pepsi products in some nations, with the goal of 20% of beverages being in reusables by 2030.

It also established millions of dollars in grants to support regenerative agriculture practices in an effort to reach net-zero emissions by 2040.

What's being done about plastic food packaging?

While PepsiCo is a major contributor to the waste problem, tourists and locals can change their behavior and reduce their contribution through advocacy.

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Repeated negligence of the Himalayas led to the formation of organizations like Zero Waste Himalaya and the Integrated Mountain Initiative. These groups gather students and volunteers to clean the mountains yearly to mitigate the damage of companies like PepsiCo. As they work, they do a trash audit, categorizing each item by brand and type.

Data informs changes in consumer behavior and suggests which materials should be a high priority for recycling programs. It also proves why extended producer responsibility guidelines must be more comprehensive.

Other auditing agencies advocate against unsustainable business practices, asking organizations like PepsiCo to rethink their operations and invest in authentic, eco-friendly solutions.

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