A new lawsuit filed today accuses ExxonMobil of contributing to the world's plastic

pollution. The oil and gas company is one of the largest producers of the material

used to make single use plastics.

California's attorney general Rob Bonta

filed that lawsuit after a two-year investigation,

and I spoke with him moments ago.

Attorney General Bonta, welcome back to the news hour. Thanks for being with us.

Thanks for having me, Amna. So in this lawsuit, you're accusing ExxonMobil of what you call

decades-long deception, essentially lying to the public

about the recyclability of plastics. What specifically have they been saying

over the last 50 years that you're alleging just isn't true?

Well since the 70s for decades. 50 years that you're alleging just isn't true?

Well, since the 70s for decades,

they've been telling the world,

Americans, Californians, that plastics are recyclable and are being recycled and that consumers can

participate in a single use throwaway culture and it's okay because all those plastics that you throw away

will be reclaimed, recycled, will show up in someone else's household as a useful plastic product

Tenseol or a container or something else and that is absolutely false and in many occasions many occasions the item is completely not recyclable and never

be never going to be recycled.

ExxonMobil spokesperson did push back on parts of your lawsuit saying in a statement to Reuters in part that

quote suing people makes headlines but it doesn't solve the plastic waste problem

advanced recycling is a real solution They're referencing they are a program

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