In a groundbreaking revelation, the Center for Climate Integrity (CCI) has unveiled a damning report shedding light on the fraudulent practices of Big Oil and the plastics industry regarding plastic recycling. The report, titled “The Fraud of Plastic Recycling: How Big Oil and the plastics industry deceived the public for decades and caused the plastic waste crisis,” presents never-before-published evidence that could pave the way for legal action against these industry giants.

The report elucidates how fossil fuel and petrochemical companies knowingly misled the public about the viability of plastic recycling, despite being aware of its limitations. For over six decades, these companies have exploited the false promise of plastic recycling to drive up production of virgin plastics, exacerbating the global plastic waste crisis and imposing significant costs on communities worldwide.

According to the report, industry insiders have long been cognizant of the shortcomings of plastic recycling. As far back as 1989, the founding director of the Vinyl Institute, a prominent industry trade group, conceded that recycling was not a sustainable solution to the solid waste problem. Despite such admissions, companies like ExxonMobil continued to propagate the myth of plastic recycling as a panacea, as revealed by an Exxon employee’s statement to the American Plastics Council in 1994: “we are committed to the activities, but not committed to the results.”

The release of the report coincides with ongoing investigations by California Attorney General Rob Bonta into the role of fossil fuel and petrochemical industries in perpetuating the global plastics pollution crisis. ExxonMobil, the world’s largest producer of single-use plastic polymers, has been subpoenaed as part of this inquiry. As states and communities across the United States pursue legal action against Big Oil for climate deception, calls are mounting for similar accountability regarding the fraud of plastic recycling.

Alyssa Johl, CCI’s vice president of legal and general counsel, emphasized the potential legal implications of the report’s findings. She asserted that Big Oil and the plastics industry may have violated laws designed to protect consumers and the public from corporate misconduct and pollution. Johl urged attorneys general and other officials to carefully evaluate the evidence and take decisive action to hold these companies accountable for their deception.

With mounting pressure on regulators to confront corporate malfeasance, the release of CCI’s report marks a pivotal moment in the fight against plastic pollution and environmental degradation. As the evidence of deception continues to accumulate, the question remains: will justice be served for the communities burdened by the consequences of decades-long industry deceit?

SOURCE: Not just climate: Big Oil lied about plastic recycling, too, and must be held accountable.

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