BIG OIL's Secret Washington PLOT EXPOSED

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), heavily funded by fossil fuel and petrochemical companies like Koch Industries, acts as a 'pay-to-play' platform. It crafts and disseminates 'model bills' (preemption laws) to state legislators, which prevent local governments from implementing plastic bag bans, fees, or other regulations on single-use containers. This effectively launders corporate interests into state law.

A whistleblower in 2011 exposed ALEC's process where corporate lobbyists and special interest groups voted as equals with state legislators on model bills. Arizona's preemption law against local plastic bans was picked up by ALEC and spread nationwide. Today, more states ban plastic bans than ban plastic bags.

The plastics and petrochemical industry maintains a public image of environmental concern through initiatives like recycling campaigns and beach cleanups. Simultaneously, behind the scenes, it aggressively lobbies and uses its financial influence to halt any legislative or regulatory measures that could restrict plastic production or sales, such as bottle deposits or bag fees.

The industry 'talks green' publicly, knowing people worry about plastic waste, but 'fights tooth and nail' with corporate money to stop restrictions. An early plastic bag ban in Suffolk County, NY (1980s) was overturned by lawsuits, demonstrating industry's immediate opposition to local measures.

The shift from reusable packaging systems (like Coca-Cola's extensive bottle return network) to single-use plastics was a deliberate business decision by the industry to maximize profits. By selling more individual units instead of reusing containers, they increased revenue and shifted the costs of waste management onto taxpayers and municipalities.

A plastics industry conference in the 1950s/60s featured a speaker stating that reusable bottles represented a 'lost opportunity for profit' and that 'single use is a profit opportunity.' Coca-Cola's US business head explained in congressional testimony that throwaway bottles were more expensive for consumers because the cost wasn't spread over multiple uses.

The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) of the 1970s is 'designed to fail' in regulating chemicals used in plastics. Unlike pharmaceuticals or pesticides, new chemicals in manufacturing don't undergo rigorous safety testing before market entry. The EPA is overwhelmed, and industry can withhold proprietary information, leaving the public exposed to tens of thousands of unregulated chemicals that can leach into food, water, and bodies.

The TSCA model is 'innocent until proven guilty' for chemicals in plastic. Companies only need to inform the EPA within 60-90 days of introducing a new chemical, and the agency lacks the staff and authority to adequately analyze them. Information on many chemicals is hidden due to 'proprietary information' claims.

The fossil fuel industry is aggressively expanding plastic production to secure future profits. As climate action and the rise of renewables/electric vehicles threaten the demand for oil and gas as fuels, plastics represent a critical and growing market to sustain their core business model of drilling and extraction.

The fossil fuel industry is 'ramping up to double and triple' plastic production in the coming years. Charts show plastic production has 'only gone up' since 1950. This is a direct response to economic threats from climate action and cheaper renewables/EVs.