CB Bureau‘Soft drinks like those manufactured by Pepsi and Coca Cola do not just affect health, but also severely impact the soil quality and the environment’, said Hazards Centre, an environmental NGO.
The NGO conducted a survey of the areas around the Pepsi and Coca Cola manufacturing plants in Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh and released a compiled report, titled ‘How Harsh Is Your Soft Drink’, in New Delhi on June 4, 2010.
‘We found that the solid waste and effluents discharged by these soft drinks manufacturing plants have affected the soil quality around it. In Mehendiganj in Uttar Pradesh, it has lowered the ground-water level along with the productivity of the soil,’ said Banajyotsna Baruah, a researcher with the NGO.
‘It is a known fact by now that aerated drinks are harmful to one’s health. This is because of the excess chromium content in the drinks that may cause cancer, stomach ailments and even affect your nervous system,’ Baruah added.
CB bureau