California Sues Big Oil, Claims ExxonMobil Misled on Plastic Recycling

California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced on Monday that he is taking legal action against ExxonMobil, accusing the oil company of conducting a long-term “campaign of deception” against state and local authorities. This campaign, according to the lawsuit, has contributed significantly to the ongoing global plastics pollution crisis.

The lawsuit, filed in San Francisco Superior Court, aims to compel ExxonMobil, a major producer of plastics, to cease its deceptive practices that potentially harm both the environment and public health. Furthermore, it seeks to secure funding for remediation efforts to address the damage caused by plastic pollution in communities across California.

“Plastics are omnipresent—from the deepest oceans to high mountain peaks, and even within our own bodies—causing irreversible damage in both known and unknown ways to our environment and possibly to our health,” Bonta stated.

He added that: “For decades, ExxonMobil has misled the public into believing that plastic recycling could solve the plastic waste issue, despite knowing this was not true. Their lies were aimed at maximizing profits while disregarding the health of our planet and its inhabitants.”

ExxonMobil has been approached for a response, and updates will follow if a statement is provided.

The complaint asserts that ExxonMobil bears substantial responsibility for the plastics crisis in California. It claims that the company falsely championed mechanical recycling as a solution to plastic waste, misleading the public into thinking it was a viable and sustainable option.

“ExxonMobil has, through its own actions and those of its agents and industry groups, misled consumers, lawmakers, and regulators for over 50 years regarding the efficacy of plastic recycling as a remedy for plastic waste,” the complaint states.

The lawsuit highlights that since the early 1970s, ExxonMobil has promoted the false narrative that recycling would be the answer to the plastic pollution created by its products, fully aware that it would not be. Simultaneously, the company has ramped up its plastic production, which resulted in the ongoing plastic waste and pollution crisis in California.

This legal initiative has received backing from various environmental advocacy organizations, including the Center for Climate Integrity and the Center for Biological Diversity. These groups view the lawsuit as a crucial step in holding corporations accountable for their contributions to environmental degradation.

“Just as Exxon comprehended and misrepresented the effects of its fossil fuel products on climate change, the company has similarly misled the public for decades about the feasibility of plastic recycling. Exxon’s business model continues to rely on deceiving the public about the harms its products inflict,” stated Richard Wiles, President of the Center for Climate Integrity.

Julie Teel Simmonds from the Center for Biological Diversity echoed this sentiment, noting that petrochemical corporations like ExxonMobil have deceived the public regarding the viability of plastics recycling, which has led to “dire consequences.”

“Plastic pollution has infiltrated every corner of the globe, and we are all carrying microplastics in our bodies,” she commented.

This lawsuit emerges in a context where California has been increasingly proactive in combating plastic pollution. Initiatives in recent years include a 2016 ballot measure that prohibited grocery stores from distributing single-use plastic bags and a forthcoming law that, effective in 2026, will ban “multi-use” bags as well.