PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The City of Philadelphia is suing Bimbo Bakeries and SC Johnson for claiming that their plastic packaging is recyclable when, in fact, it is not.
City Solicitor Renee Garcia said the companies are misleading consumers by printing the “chasing arrows” recycling symbol on their packages.
“People are trying to do the right thing, trying to recycle their plastic, but despite the labels indicating the plastic film in these products is recyclable, the truth is, it cannot be processed at local facilities,” she said.
The result is damage to recycling facilities, higher costs and more waste.
“This plastic film is the No. 1 contaminant in the city’s municipal recycling system, leading to operational disruptions and overall greater facilities costs to Philadelphia taxpayers,” said Garcia.
The city is seeking monetary damages, along with a halt to the deceptive labeling.
SC Johnson is cited in the suit for its Ziploc bags. The conglomerate, based in Wisconsin, has not received the suit yet and had no comment.
Bimbo is the world’s largest bakery. It makes Tastykakes, Arnold bread and Thomas’ English Muffins, among other products. It also has not yet seen the suit but issued a statement: “We are committed to zero waste across our operations, including consumer packaging, and to being a strong partner in every community we serve, especially our hometown of Philadelphia. We have not yet been served with the complaint and will review it upon receipt.”