California is stepping up, and this time, it’s taking on one of the biggest names in oil and plastic production—ExxonMobil. Attorney General Rob Bonta has filed suit against the fossil fuel giant, claiming ExxonMobil played a key role in one of the most pressing environmental issues of our time: the plastic waste crisis.
You know the drill—single-use plastics littering beaches, clogging waterways, and wreaking havoc on marine life. But here’s the kicker: ExxonMobil has known for decades that most plastics it produces would never be recycled, despite what its marketing says. And yet, the company has spent years pushing the narrative that recycling can fix the problem.
At the heart of the lawsuit is the accusation that ExxonMobil, the world’s largest producer of plastic polymers, has been feeding the public a carefully crafted story of recycling as the solution to the mountain of plastic waste it’s helped create. In reality, they’ve known since the 1970s that mechanical recycling—turning old plastic into new plastic—wasn’t up to the task. And yet, they’ve doubled down, even promoting “advanced recycling” as a savior. Spoiler alert: it’s not.
According to the lawsuit, this new “advanced” process, which ExxonMobil loves to talk up, doesn’t work at scale. The company burns most of what it collects, and even when it does make new plastic, it’s basically the same stuff it was making before. And here’s the real twist—by 2026, this so-called advanced recycling will only handle 1% of the company’s total plastic output.
The numbers are staggering. California estimates that between 1990 and 2022, millions of tons of plastic waste leaked into the state’s environment. In 2022 alone, up to 180,000 tons of plastic waste entered California’s landscapes and waterways. That’s the equivalent of 20 to 30 garbage trucks dumping plastic directly into the ocean daily. And ExxonMobil is a massive part of this problem.
Single-use plastics, like the stuff that wraps our snacks, hold our drinks, or carries our groceries, are the real villains here. These plastics don’t just disappear; they break down into microplastics that stick around for centuries, poisoning ecosystems and, yep, even humans. ExxonMobil has been a key player in ramping up the production of this stuff, all while pretending that recycling is the answer.
For decades, ExxonMobil has invested millions into convincing the public that recycling would solve the plastic crisis. Their ads ran in newspapers, on TV, and all over the internet, pushing the idea that if we just tossed our plastics in the right bin, we could use as much as we wanted without consequences. They even helped create the infamous “chasing arrows” symbol you see on nearly every piece of plastic, making consumers think it was all recyclable when, in reality, only a tiny fraction ever is.
ExxonMobil’s marketing campaigns were designed to blame us, the consumers. If recycling isn’t working, they suggest, it’s because we’re not doing our part. Meanwhile, they quietly ramped up new virgin plastics production, knowing the system couldn’t handle the waste.
Here’s where it gets even uglier. ExxonMobil didn’t just mislead the public; they actively fought against regulations that would help fix the problem. In California, the company has spent millions lobbying to block laws that would make plastic producers responsible for cleaning up their mess. Instead of reining in production or investing in real solutions, they poured money into expanding their operations. Over the last decade, they’ve nearly doubled their U.S. plastic production capacity, even as they knew the waste would keep piling up.
ExxonMobil’s actions have led to a cascade of consequences. Not only does plastic waste choke California’s coastlines and wildlife, but it’s also costing the state and its taxpayers millions of dollars in clean-up efforts. The lawsuit highlights that this burden has fallen hardest on low-income communities and communities of color, who often live near plastic production facilities or landfills. These are the same places most impacted by pollution, and ExxonMobil’s practices have only deepened these environmental injustices.
With this lawsuit, California is calling for more than just fines. The state wants ExxonMobil to stop the lies, clean up the damage, and be held accountable for the years of deception and environmental harm. This case could set a powerful precedent, especially if ExxonMobil is forced to reckon with its role in the plastic crisis.
This fight isn’t just about California. Plastic pollution is a global issue, and ExxonMobil’s actions have rippled across oceans and borders. But by taking on the giant, California is putting other polluters on notice: the days of hiding behind greenwashing and marketing campaigns might finally be over.
