Industry Authority in Government Regulation and Feigned Public Moral Obligation: The People of California v. Exxon Mobil Corporation

Abstract

The State of California v. Exxon Mobil Corporation is the case that is being analyzed here in this case study, along with how corporate power influences the environmental conduct as well as public attitude. Exxon Mobil is accused of willfully starting decades of public misrepresentation of plastics' recyclability, claims the suit, which was filed in 2024. Against internal knowledge that recycling was not even feasible, the corporation facilitated the propagation of the falsehood that plastics are recyclable by hijacking marks such as the three-arrow recycling triangle and sponsoring ad campaigns that invoked personal responsibility. The case makes parallels between the historical disinformation of the tobacco industry and how industries toy with science communications and regulatory frameworks for delay of accountability. It is an exploration of how this type of deception transfers the moral culpability for environmental destruction to consumers, concealing the industrial origins of plastic pollution and its public health consequences, especially among marginalized communities along production sites. The study addresses participatory agency by journalists, scientists, lawyers, and non-profits to uncover business abuse, and poses important questions on professional ethics, the limits of regulation, and social constructions of environmental responsibility. In this light, the case invites reflection on corporate power, public health, and the importance of systemic solutions to environmental crises.