OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued the following statement regarding the Sacramento County Superior Court’s ruling to enforce the California Department of Justice’s investigative subpoena issued to the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS):
“In California and across the globe, plastics are everywhere. Plastic pollution is seeping into our waterways, poisoning our environment, and wreaking havoc on our health. The plastics industry has knowingly engaged in an aggressive, decades-long campaign to deceive the public, perpetuating a myth that recycling can solve the plastics crisis. We are pleased with the Court’s decision to grant our petition to enforce our investigative subpoena against PLASTICS. We are looking forward to vigorously pursuing our investigation.”
BACKGROUND
In 2022, the California Department of Justice issued an investigative subpoena to PLASTICS as part of Attorney General Bonta’s first-of-its-kind investigation into fossil fuel and petrochemical industries for their role in causing the plastic waste and pollution crisis, which has significantly harmed California, its people and its communities. The subpoena seeks specific documents regarding the feasibility of recycling and the evolution of the organization’s campaign surrounding the recyclability of plastic. These documents were housed at the Hagley Library in Delaware, and were generally available to the public for research for decades. The documents sought by the state include historical documents that may shed light on the extent of the plastics industries’ knowledge about harms associated with plastics, including the staggering waste issue California is forced to manage.
On May 28, 2024, Attorney General Bonta filed a petition in Sacramento County Superior Court to enforce our subpoena to PLASTICS. In its decision, the court rejected PLASTICS’ argument that documents covered by the subpoena are protected by the First Amendment, as PLASTICS previously made them available for public research access in the Hagley Library. Per the Court’s order, PLASTICS must comply with the subpoena in its entirety by April 25, 2025.
A copy of the petition can be found here.