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Accessibility statementSkip to main content Democracy Dies in Darkness SubscribeSign in Advertisement Democracy Dies in Darkness Environment CALIFORNIA ACCUSES EXXONMOBIL OF LYING ABOUT PLASTICS BEING RECYCLABLE The state alleges the oil company deceived “the public to convince us that plastic recycling could solve the plastic waste and pollution crisis.” 2 min 701 Plastic is loaded onto a conveyer belt at ExxonMobil's chemical recycling plant in Baytown, Texas. (Sergio Flores/AFP/Getty Images) By Allyson Chiu September 23, 2024 at 11:12 a.m. EDT The state of California sued ExxonMobil on Monday, accusing the oil giant of misleading the public about the effectiveness of plastics recycling and contributing to the flood of bottles, bags and wrappers polluting waterways in the state and worldwide. 10 steps you can take to lower your carbon footprint In the first lawsuit of its kind, California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) alleged that ExxonMobil has engaged “in a decades-long campaign of deception that caused and exacerbated the global plastics pollution crisis.” Exxon is a major producer of the synthetic substances used to make plastics. The lawsuit, filed Monday in San Francisco County Superior Court, seeks to hold the oil titan accountable for allegedly falsely promoting all plastics as recyclable, including a more recent effort to push the controversial practice of advanced recycling, also known as chemical recycling, as a solution. Some recent estimates suggest that only a small fraction of the plastic produced gets recycled: about 9 percent worldwide and about 5 to 6 percent in the United States. “For decades, ExxonMobil has been deceiving the public to convince us that plastic recycling could solve the plastic waste and pollution crisis when they clearly knew this wasn’t possible,” Bonta said in a statement. “ExxonMobil lied to further its [record]-breaking profits at the expense of our planet and possibly jeopardizing our health.” The Washington Post has asked ExxonMobil for comment. Advertisement Story continues below advertisement The legal action comes amid a broader effort to stem the deluge of plastic that ends up in the environment. A recent study found Earth’s oceans contain more than 170 trillion pieces of plastic. The material can also break down into tiny microplastics or nanoplastics that can enter human blood, lungs and other organs. 🌱 Follow Climate & environment Follow On Sunday, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed legislation that would ban all plastic shopping bags from grocery and convenience store checkouts statewide by 2026. Last year, New York sued PepsiCo, accusing the soda and snack company of polluting the Buffalo River with packaging from its products. The lawsuit against ExxonMobil was heralded by environmental advocates. Story continues below advertisement “This is the single most consequential lawsuit filed against the plastics industry for its persistent and continued lying about plastics recycling,” Judith Enck, a former senior Environmental Protection Agency official in the Obama administration who now heads Beyond Plastics, an advocacy organization, said in a statement. “Attorney General Bonta is leading the way to corporate accountability and a cleaner and healthier world. This lawsuit will set an invaluable precedent for others to follow.” This is a developing story and will be updated. Share 701 Comments NewsletterTUESDAYS Climate Coach Climate Coach Michael Coren advises you on how to navigate life on our changing planet. Delivered Tuesdays. Sign up Recommended for you Recommended by Subscribe to comment and get the full experience. Choose your plan → Advertisement Advertisement Skip Ads by Advertisement Advertisement Company About The Post Newsroom Policies & Standards Diversity & Inclusion Careers Media & Community Relations WP Creative Group Accessibility Statement Sitemap Get The Post Become a Subscriber Gift Subscriptions Mobile & Apps Newsletters & Alerts Washington Post Live Reprints & Permissions Post Store Books & E-Books Today’s Paper Public Notices Contact Us Contact the Newsroom Contact Customer Care Contact the Opinions Team Advertise Licensing & Syndication Request a Correction Send a News Tip Report a Vulnerability Terms of Use Digital Products Terms of Sale Print Products Terms of Sale Terms of Service Privacy Policy Cookie Settings Submissions & Discussion Policy RSS Terms of Service Ad Choices washingtonpost.com © 1996-2024 The Washington Post * washingtonpost.com * © 1996-2024 The Washington Post * About The Post * Contact the Newsroom * Contact Customer Care * Request a Correction * Send a News Tip * Report a Vulnerability * Download the Washington Post App * Policies & Standards * Terms of Service * Privacy Policy * Cookie Settings * Print Products Terms of Sale * Digital Products Terms of Sale * Submissions & Discussion Policy * Sitemap * RSS Terms of Service * Ad Choices