Plastic Production at the Expense of the Environment: How Big Oil Uses Taxpayer Money to Expand Plastic Facilities

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• Big Oil receives billions in taxpayer money to build plastic facilities as the world turns away from fossil fuels.

• Despite promises to protect the environment, many of these facilities cause significant air pollution and health risks in disadvantaged communities.

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Big Oil Redirects Investments from Fossil Fuels to Plastic Production.

Petrochemical companies like Shell and Exxon Mobil receive billions in taxpayer dollars to build plastic facilities along the coast of Texas and Louisiana.

With global demand for fossil fuels declining due to the transition to electric vehicles and renewable energy, Big Oil is undergoing a massive shift towards plastic production. Petrochemical companies like Shell and Exxon Mobil have received nearly $9 billion in state and local tax breaks since 2012 to build or expand 50 plastic manufacturing facilities, according to a report by the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP).

Much of this activity occurred along the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana, often alongside marginalized communities. Despite their promises to protect public health and the environment, 84% of these facilities have released more air pollutants than allowed over the past three years, according to the nonprofit organization.