California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit against ExxonMobil, claiming the company has misled the public about the recyclability of the plastics it produces.
Less than 5% of plastic is actually recycled into another product in the U.S. despite being labeled as “recyclable,” leading to a global pollution crisis with landfills and oceans being filled with plastic waste, according to Bonta’s office.
The big picture: ExxonMobil is accused of promoting the myth of recycling to encourage consumers to buy more plastic products and drive profits up.
- California alleges the company’s aim is to make consumers feel less guilty about their waste by promoting recycling.
The other side: ExxonMobil blames California for the flawed recycling system, stating that officials have known about the inefficiency of the system for decades and could have worked with the company to fix the problem instead of suing them.
Go deeper: The lawsuit follows an investigation into the fossil fuel and petrochemical industries, revealing hidden documents that show ExxonMobil concealed the harms caused by plastics, according to Bonta’s office.
- The complaint alleges violations of California’s nuisance and unfair competition laws and seeks to hold ExxonMobil accountable for concealing the negative impacts of plastics.
- This lawsuit comes after Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law a statewide ban on all plastic shopping bags at supermarkets, showing California’s efforts to address plastic pollution.
