Even a majority of Republicans support efforts to hold manufacturers accountable for allegedly deceptive claims
Concern about the fossil fuel and plastics industries’ alleged deception about recycling is growing, with new polling showing a majority of American voters, including 54% of Republicans, support legal efforts to hold the sectors accountable.
The industries have faced increasing scrutiny for their role in the global plastics pollution crisis, including an ongoing California investigation and dozens of suits filed over the last decade against consumer brands that sell plastics.
Research published earlier this year found that plastic producers have known for decades that plastic recycling is too cumbersome and expensive to ever become a feasible waste management solution, but promoted it to the public anyway.
The plastic producers were the ones pushing the grift and controlling the narrative/studies, just like what was done with fossil fuels and climate change (certainly a trend here with the oil industry).
Additionally, they’re the ones that directly benefitted the most so it makes sense to go after their fraudulent gains.
I’m all for being critical of municipalities and elected officials, but the solution is not to bankrupt cities or state/federal funds through litigation. The focus should be on the producers. Go to the top of the chain/follow the money.
Edit: To your point about news conglomerates, that seems more viable and they certainly need better incentives and regulation.
Dude. It’s been 40 years.
I didn’t say news conglomerates. I said investigative news agencies - meaning the local news.
At some point over the past forty years, someone in government and someone at a local news paper has known there was a conspiracy. These people need to be held accountable. They’re the ones who have cost tax payers hundreds of millions of dollars.
Granted, I may be giving too much credit to local government. I don’t think most voters in the country care very much about electing people smart enough to put two and two together.
What I have such a hard time with is that people like yourself are so quick to excuse gullibility. The big powerful plastic company promised us it would be okay. Why would anyone dare question them or their motives? The fossil fuel company certainly has the public and the environment at their best interests. So many people are so quick to shrug and say “not my fault”. Did you even attempt to ask questions or were you afraid that knowing the truth would be bad for your administration?
Oh, totally, the portion I was speaking to was the issue of local news being owned by news conglomerates so that’s where I see the grift coming from, mostly
And if we hold people personally liable, I’m more on board with that. I just would not touch taxpayer dollars for municipal, state, or federal funds with these suits.
Yeah - I’ve watched the Sinclair segment. I recognize that but that’s not the case everywhere. More troubling is how local newspapers are struggling and going out of business. I’m in Philadelphia where we still have decent locally-owned and/or operated journalism.
I’m not sure how the lawsuit would go down but I’d be open to whatever it takes to make the right changes. Perhaps the threat of digging into city coffers is precisely why nothing has happened in forty years. It’s already costing tax payers millions of dollars every year to not recycle. I’d support millions to hold people accountable and make the needed changes if that means saving us money down the road.