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This week's story is breaking news about a leading oil and gas company known for its production of plastics, synthetic rubber, and other chemical products; ExxonMobil.

ExxonMobil is in hot water after California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit accusing them of misleading consumers about plastic recycling. According to the suit, ExxonMobil spent decades promoting recycling as the best solution to plastic waste—despite knowing most plastics wouldn’t be recycled. Let's be honest, ExxonMobil is not the only company doing this...

Plastics Industry's Recycling Sham

For years, ExxonMobil and others in the plastics industry marketed recycling as a cure-all for plastic waste while downplaying the challenges of recycling most plastics. Bonta alleges this was a deliberate attempt to distract from the damage plastic pollution was causing. The lawsuit also highlights ExxonMobil’s role as the world’s largest producer of the polymers used in single-use plastics, with internal documents showing the company knew recycling wasn’t the answer but promoted it anyway.

ExxonMobil Sued for Misleading Public on Plastic Recycling

Over to the good news...California is taking a stand against Big Oil's plastic deception. The lawsuit highlights the false promises of "advanced recycling," a process ExxonMobil claims can help reduce plastic waste. Critics argue that this method is inefficient, ineffective and requires large amounts of energy (which uses… you guessed it - more fossil fuels than it recovers), adding to the problem instead of solving it. 

California's legal action could expose this as another form of greenwashing—misleading the public into believing something is more eco-friendly than it actually is. This lawsuit represents a new era in holding fossil fuel companies accountable, not just for carbon emissions but for their role in plastic pollution and deceptive marketing.

Plastic Lawsuit Could Be a Game-Changer

Environmental groups are rallying behind the case, calling it a critical step toward ending the plastic pollution crisis. They are celebrating this bold move, hoping it will open the floodgates for similar lawsuits. With micro- and nano-plastics being found everywhere from Antarctica to the Mariana Trench, as well as throughout our bodies, it's clear the stakes are high. The lawsuit is a wake-up call for the world to demand better from companies that have long profited from plastic waste while leaving the planet to deal with the consequences.

The outcome of this case could reshape the future of plastic use and recycling, pushing for more sustainable, waste-free solutions and holding corporations accountable for their environmental impact.

Why Go For Zero Avoids Plastic (Recycled or Not)

Plastic is made from over 13,000 (mostly unregulated) chemicals? I know, crazy! Plastics are also known to absorb and release harmful toxins and endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as BPA, phthalates, PFAS, and heavy metals, which can contaminate the products they contain. On top of that, it is a non-renewable, fossil fuel-derived material that can only be recycled once or twice (plastics is actually "down-cycled" because the resulting products created are less quality than the virgin material).

Recent research has shown that recycling plastic results in the shedding of tons of micro- and nano-plastics. This process actually accelerates the movement of plastics into the environment by reducing plastic waste to sizes that can be consumed through food and water, breathed in as dust, or even absorbed through the skin. Erian Brown of the University of Glasgow emphasised the severity of this issue, stating, "It’s scary because recycling has been designed to reduce the problem and to protect the environment. This is a huge problem we’re creating."

We are proud to be the only eco-store in Australia that does not offer kids’ toys, lunch boxes, drink bottles, and plates made from recycled plastic. While our policy may seem stringent, we are committed to this approach for all the right reasons. You can find more information about why we are dedicated to eliminating recycled plastic in our products here. We believe true sustainability means prioritising human and ecological health above all else.

Never hesitate to reach out if you have questions or check out our range of carefully curated, genuinely safe and sustainable products. No greenwashing here, just amazing, safe Aussie and New Zealand brands doing good for people and planet!

Looking for more news like this about action being taken to end false claims and greenwashing? We think you'll love this blog here about Big Brands in the Hot Seat: Evian’s “Sustainable” Claims Under Fire! 

Until next week GFZ's x