Alpha

Discover

BusinessSep 24, 2024

California Sues Exxon in Billion-Dollar Lawsuit, Claiming 92% of Its Plastic Waste Goes Unrecycled

Greenwashing Probe

Rhea Lobo

Go Deeper

Related stories

Consumer Staples

PepsiCo Trims Recovery Outlook as Consumers Pull Back

media rights

FIFA Is Bringing World Cup Rights Back To Market

Semiconductor

Apple Expands US Manufacturing Footprint in Multiyear Broadcom Pact

retail sector

Why Major Retailers Are Slashing Food Costs

Electric Vehicle

Fiat Targets Niche US Market With New Electric Topolino

You can’t cover up pollution with a green sticker and call it progress — but that’s what California claims Exxon Mobil did. Attorney General Rob Bonta has accused the oil and gas giant of misleading the public about its plastic recycling, claiming false advertising encouraged more single-use plastic purchases under the belief they were recyclable. A two-year investigation found that Exxon worsened global plastic pollution, costing California taxpayers billions in cleanup. The first-of-its-kind lawsuit marks one of the few times a state has held an oil and gas firm liable for environmental damage.

California alleges that while Exxon promoted recycling as a solution to plastic pollution, the US recycling rate has never exceeded 9%, and 92% of plastic from Exxon’s “advanced recycling” ends up being burned as fuel rather than recycled.
Exxon, in response, criticized California officials for not establishing an effective recycling system — stating its advanced recycling program converted over 60M pounds of plastic waste into usable raw materials.

Law and disorder: California isn’t the only one taking legal action. 2024 has seen a surge in climate lawsuits, with activists and local governments going after fossil fuel companies for environmental damage. In July, Puerto Rico initiated a $1B lawsuit against leading oil firms like Exxon Mobil and Chevron, accusing them of knowing the harm their products caused but continuing to sell them. With rising oil production and unkept corporate promises, these lawsuits are becoming more frequent.