Exxon Mobil Corp. has filed a federal defamation lawsuit against California Attorney General Rob Bonta and several environmental groups. This legal action comes in response to a previous lawsuit by Bonta, accusing the oil and gas giant of deceiving the public for over 50 years by falsely claiming that the plastics it produced would be recycled.
The lawsuit, filed in the Eastern District of California, alleges that Bonta, along with the Sierra Club, San Francisco Baykeeper, Heal the Bay, and the Surfrider Foundation, conspired to defame Exxon Mobil by questioning the effectiveness of its plastic recycling technology. Exxon Mobil claims that these statements were part of a deliberate smear campaign aimed at damaging its reputation.
In its lawsuit, Exxon Mobil seeks unspecified damages and retractions of what it deems to be defamatory statements made by Bonta and the environmental groups. The company accuses them of spreading false information about its innovative recycling technology.
In response to the lawsuit, a spokesperson for the California Department of Justice dismissed Exxon Mobil's claims as an attempt to divert attention from its alleged deceptive practices. The spokesperson stated that Bonta is prepared to vigorously defend against the lawsuit.
In the initial lawsuit filed by Bonta's office in September, it was highlighted that less than 5% of plastic in the U.S. is actually recycled into new products, despite being labeled as 'recyclable.' This has led to a significant accumulation of plastic waste in landfills and oceans, contributing to a global pollution crisis. The lawsuit alleges that consumers' efforts to recycle plastic items are not effectively addressing the issue.
