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Last week, California sued ExxonMobil for its decades-long lie about plastic recycling promises. Plastic waste is a major pollution issue, and it is increasingly evident that we cannot recycle our way out of this crisis. Indeed, experts agree that the only way to combat plastic pollution is by “turning off the tap” of plastic production.

Plastic is produced using fossil fuels, and production has increased exponentially over the last several decades. Alarmingly, the fossil fuel industry plans to expand plastic production further, considering plastic their “Plan B” in response to a decreasing demand for oil and gas in favor of renewable energy. The process of plastic production is highly polluting, and toxic emissions from plastic facilities cause disproportionate harm to low-income communities and communities of color. In ongoing research at Defend Our Health, we find that ExxonMobil’s plastic production facilities are the biggest culprits of pollution, and ExxonMobil is guilty of environmental racism. 

ExxonMobil is the single largest CO2 emitter, accounting for 15.2% of the total reported CO2 emitted by plastic facilities. CO2 is a greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere and significantly contributes to climate change. Indeed, three out of the five worst facilities for CO2 emissions in the US are owned by ExxonMobil (located in Baytown, TX, Baton Rouge, LA, and Beaumont, TX). 

Plastic-producing facilities also emit millions of pounds of toxic chemicals, which are extremely hazardous. According to self-reported data, ExxonMobil-owned facilities emitted over five million tons of toxic chemicals in 2021. What’s more, these toxic emissions are not equally shared. We found that 96.1% of ExxonMobil’s toxic emissions are in areas with a high proportion of people of color, exceeding the US average.

Addressing plastic production is instrumental in fighting the plastic pollution crisis. Holding the largest polluters, like ExxonMobil, accountable is a critical first step. Good on California.