California Sues ExxonMobil Over Plastic Pollution Deception

California and various environmental groups have filed a lawsuit against ExxonMobil, accusing the oil giant of a prolonged campaign of misinformation concerning plastic recycling. California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the lawsuit following a two-year investigation. ExxonMobil denies the allegations, asserting that its advanced recycling efforts have been effective.

California and a number of environmental groups have taken legal action against ExxonMobil, accusing the oil conglomerate of a multi-decade campaign that significantly contributed to global plastic waste pollution. Addressing the matter at a Climate Week event in New York City, California Attorney General Rob Bonta revealed that the state decided to sue Exxon following the results of a nearly two-year investigation. Bonta claimed the investigation demonstrated that Exxon deliberately misled the public regarding the limitations of recycling.

In a formal statement, Bonta remarked, "Today's lawsuit reveals the fullest picture yet of ExxonMobil's long-standing deception. The court must hold ExxonMobil fully accountable for its role in actively creating and worsening the plastics pollution crisis through its campaign of deception." This legal action parallels California's past probes into the oil industry's alleged misleading of the public about climate change, for which the state is also pursuing litigation. California has had a long-standing contentious relationship with Big Oil.

Despite being a former major crude supplier, California's oil production has been on a steady decline for nearly four decades, with firms citing regulatory hurdles as a key factor. Exxon competitor Chevron Corp., which has also criticized California's policies, announced plans to relocate its headquarters from its home state to Texas. A group of environmental organizations, including the Sierra Club, has lodged a related lawsuit in the same San Francisco state court, echoing similar accusations against Exxon. Bonta stated that his office specifically sought information on Exxon's so-called 'advanced recycling' technology, which employs pyrolysis to convert hard-to-recycle plastic waste into fuel. According to Bonta, the slow progress of this technology is indicative of Exxon's ongoing deception.

(With inputs from agencies.)