petrochemicals
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Microplastics: a threat we can't ignore
Microplastics are invading our bodies, from the air we breathe to the food we eat, sparking growing concerns about their potential health risks.
In short:
- Microplastics, tiny plastic particles from everyday products, have been found in organs, blood and even the placenta, raising alarm over their health effects.
- These particles carry harmful chemicals like phthalates and PFAS, which disrupt hormones and may contribute to diseases such as heart conditions, cognitive deficits and cancer.
- Simple lifestyle changes, like avoiding microwaving plastic containers and choosing stainless steel or glass, can significantly reduce exposure.
Key quote:
“It’s so pervasive because there’s so many ways we don’t think something’s plastic, but we realize it actually is.”
— Dr. Leonardo Trasande, Director of Environmental Pediatrics, NYU School of Medicine
Why this matters:
The health implications are staggering, but the solutions often feel out of reach. Avoid plastic altogether? Good luck in a world practically built on it. But experts like Dr. Leonardo Trasande are pointing to small, practical changes as ways to limit the damage. Meanwhile, the bigger battle looms: curbing plastic production before these particles saturate every inch of the planet—and our bodies. Read more: Microplastics in farm soils: A growing concern.
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Credit: Cami Ferrell for Environmental Health News
Study shows $1 billion in lost tax revenue in Houston area from industry tax breaks
Top polluters are benefiting the most from tax breaks.
HOUSTON — Harris County, which encompasses Houston, is projected to lose nearly $1 billion in revenue over the lifespan of current tax breaks, many of which are given to top polluters, according to a new report from the environmental advocacy group Texas Campaign for the Environment.
The group commissioned a study with economists from the economic analytics company Autocase to analyze industrial companies for three types of tax code agreements given by cities or school districts in Harris County that would provide tax breaks. The study revealed active tax break agreements with 83 companies in the county in which the company receives things like long term property valuations. In return, companies promise economic growth, job opportunities and adherence to state and federal law, though many of the corporations receiving the tax benefits routinely break environmental laws.
The largest source of tax breaks are Chapter 313 agreements, which limit property value increases for 10 years on businesses that promise economic development and investments in the local school districts, resulting in lower taxes paid. For such agreements the report estimated nearly $788 million in revenue lost over the agreements’ lifespan — some of which are 10-15 years — even after investments from the corporations were paid. Autocase economist Stefan Dindayal said this trend differed from previous county studies where a majority of agreements are with the cities or counties themselves, not the school districts.
Although this type of tax break was replaced by a similar program in June 2023, all current agreements are honored until their expiration.
“It is primarily the state that reimburses the majority of losses (from the tax breaks) through providing state aid,” the report authors wrote. “The loss felt by the state is the foregone school property tax revenue that would otherwise have reduced the need for state aid. As a result, state taxpayers are the prime stakeholders affected.”
The school districts Channelview, Clear Lake, Goose Creek, La Porte, Deer Park and Sheldon are participating in agreements in the county.. Many of these districts are in eastern portions of Houston near heavy industry, and they experience 95% to 100% higher air toxic releases than the rest of the state according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s environmental justice screening tool.
“The loss felt by the state is the foregone school property tax revenue that would otherwise have reduced the need for state aid. As a result, state taxpayers are the prime stakeholders affected.” - Stefan Dindayal, Autocase
The largest recipient of tax breaks was ExxonMobil, approaching $198.2 million, representing nearly 20% of all tax revenue lost in the county. The ExxonMobil complex in Baytown, TX, is the third largest petrochemical complex in the U.S. and spans 3,400 acres, or about 2,576 American football fields pieced together. With three individual sites within the complex – the olefins unit, the chemical plant and the refinery – the plant and refinery have several quarters of violations or noncompliance for the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act from the EPA. Yet, the fines from these violations total $2.46 million, less than 1.25% of the money they save in tax breaks according to this report.
ExxonMobil was followed by Lyondell Chemical, which represents 13% of Harris County’s lost revenue; and Chevron Phillips, which represents 8% of Harris County’s lost revenue. Both of these companies also have histories of environmental noncompliance and illegal emissions events, leaving community members, like Jen Hadayia, the executive director of Air Alliance, to question why “top polluters are being met with top economic incentives.”
“The study …shows that these same industries are preventing economic benefits from returning to the communities they are polluting,” Hadayia said.
At the time of publishing, Lyondell Chemical and Chevron Phillips have not responded to EHN’s requests for comment. Exxon Mobil responded, but did not comment.
The study revealed that, on average, each job created by the industries receiving these tax breaks cost $1.2 million in lost revenue. The costs ranged from $31,000 to $38.7 million per job promised. The highest tax break per job was Occidental Petroleum promising two jobs in their agreement and receiving $38.7 million per job.
“Countless times we hear these industries say that these companies are important to our region because they bring economic prosperity and they bring jobs,” the Houston regional coordinator for TCE, Dominic Chacón, said. “This (study) directly undermines that message as well. We know none of these workers are receiving millions of dollars per job like these companies are receiving.”
Houston residents, however, have seen their property taxes climb. For South Houston resident Erandi Treviño, that tax amounts to nearly one-third of the average income of her neighborhood.
“We can see here that home taxes are extremely high and truly, really onerous,” Treviño, founder of the environmental advocacy organization the Raíces Collaborative, said. “And when you have…billion dollar entities that are getting these tax breaks, clearly something here is off.”
The study projected that if revenue had been retained by Harris County city budgets could have increased funding across all budget items, including public safety and public works, from 0.2% in Houston to as much as 25% in Morgan’s Point, a city about 30 miles East of Houston.
“We can compare how many dollars are being lost for each service,” Dindayal said. “And this is kind of a neat way to get the community to actually understand what they're losing. They're not just losing a dollar amount. What they're losing is dollar amounts in these potential services that could have benefited the city and the community at large.”
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Credit: UNEP
Environmental justice advocates criticize lack of inclusion in plastic treaty negotiations
“We had to fight for every second we had on the floor.”
Environmental justice and Indigenous groups say they were largely excluded from key plastic treaty talks last week in Busan, South Korea, which took place over seven days and ended without a final text.
As oil and gas producing nations opposed reducing plastic production, the fifth round of talks in a series of UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee meetings ended without clear consensus on how to curb global plastic pollution. The group will reconvene next year with hopes of finalizing a treaty.
During previous plastic treaty talks, environmental justice and Indigenous delegations were permitted to listen and speak during negotiations between member states. That changed at this meeting, as the last several days of the talks consisted of private conversations.
“I was really disappointed with the process this time,” Sarah Martik, director of the Center for Coalfield Justice, an environmental justice advocacy group based in western Pennsylvania, told EHN. “There were two and a half days of informal meetings with delegates from member states held in private rooms, which completely cut out civil society. We have no notes and no records from those meetings … and we had very few opportunities to speak. We had to fight for every second we had on the floor.”
“I was really disappointed with the process this time.” Sarah Martik, Center for Coalfield Justice
Other U.S.-based environmental justice advocacy groups including the The Descendants Project in Louisiana’s Cancer Alley; the Port Arthur Community Action Network in Texas; and Breathe Free Detroit expressed similar frustrations, as did numerous Indigenous groups.
“[Holding negotiations during private meetings] is a blatant attempt to stifle dissent and pave the way for the influence of the petrochemical industry,” Frankie Orona, executive director of Society of Native Nations, said in a statement. “Despite our tireless advocacy and the support of numerous member states, the [latest treaty draft] fails to recognize our inherent rights and traditional knowledge, effectively silencing our voices in the fight against plastic pollution.”
The groups also said that oil and gas-producing countries “weaponized” the consensus-based decision-making process by intentionally stalling progress during the negotiations and effectively vetoing measures favored by a majority of other countries, like plastic production caps.
“Despite our tireless advocacy and the support of numerous member states, the [latest treaty draft] fails to recognize our inherent rights and traditional knowledge." - Frankie Orona, Society of Native Nations
China, the United States, India, South Korea and Saudi Arabia were the top five primary plastic-producing nations in 2023, according to data provider Eunomia. Some of these countries, like Saudi Arabia, Russia and India, oppose production caps. More than 100 of the approximately 170 countries attending the talks supported caps on plastic production. The U.S. and China were absent from the talks when countries pressed for production limits.
“Saudi Arabia and Russia kept taking the floor to be obstructionist, basically saying a whole lot of nothing, and we didn’t get an opportunity to speak on the floor until about two in the morning, when a lot of member states were already leaving,” Martik said.
“The elephant in the room is how the U.S. presidential election is going to impact all of this,” Martik added. “Delaying the final treaty until after Trump takes office could change how the U.S. is showing up at these negotiations.”
Disagreement over plastic production caps
Most plastic is made from fossil fuels, and as the world decarbonizes to tackle the climate crisis, oil and gas companies are increasingly turning to plastic production to stay profitable. More than 400 million tons of new plastic are created annually across the globe, and plastic production is expected to increase by an additional 70% by 2040 without policy changes.
“When I first engaged in [plastic treaty talks], I was standing in line at lunch and a delegate read my nametag and asked what I was doing there,” said Martik, who attended the talks as a member of Break Free From Plastic, a global advocacy organization. “I had to explain the connection between fracked gas being drilled in southwestern Pennsylvania and the global production of plastic.”
The plastic industry and oil-producing countries have fought against production caps, instead pushing the idea of a “circular economy.” But less than 10% of the world’s plastic is currently recycled, and attempts to improve recycling technology have so far largely proven unprofitable and inefficient.
“Delaying the final treaty until after Trump takes office could change how the U.S. is showing up at these negotiations.” - Sarah Martik, Center for Coalfield Justice
While plastic pollution chokes waterways and shorelines and microplastics turn up in every part of the human body, concerns about human health effects from every stage of plastic’s lifecycle have increased. In the U.S., health care costs attributable to chemicals in plastics are an estimated $250 billion every year.
“I think a worst-case scenario would have been that we walked away with a treaty that was ineffective and catered to the lowest-common denominator,” Martik said. “But we saw clearly that there are far more countries wanting to step up to the plate and be really ambitious about this than there are countries fighting a meaningful treaty.”
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UN
Credit: Ministry of Environment - Rwanda/Flickr
A plastics treaty could reshape global pollution but faces major hurdles
Negotiations for a global plastics treaty are progressing slowly, with countries divided over production limits, waste regulation, and scientific access, yet the commitment to further discussions remains a hopeful sign.
In short:
- Negotiators in Busan, South Korea, failed to finalize a treaty to curb plastics pollution but agreed to continue talks within the year.
- The treaty is expected to address the full life cycle of plastics, but key points like production limits face opposition from major fossil-fuel-producing nations.
- Limited access for scientists in negotiations raises transparency concerns, as the treaty’s success hinges on independent research and evidence-based definitions.
Key quote:
“Although delegates’ frustrations are justified, the commitment to continuing the discussions and the ambition of most participating countries to secure a strong agreement are positive.”
— Samuel Winton, researcher at the Global Plastics Policy Centre
Why this matters:
The push for a global plastics treaty is shaping up to be one of the defining environmental battles of our time—and it’s no quick fix. Plastic particles are linked to health issues from cancer to infertility. If we get this treaty wrong, the consequences could ripple through ecosystems and generations. Read more: Every stage of plastic production and use is harming human health.
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Credit: Ministry of Environment - Rwanda/Flickr
Plastic treaty talks falter as nations clash over production limits
Global negotiations in South Korea aimed at curbing plastic pollution ended in deadlock as more than 170 countries failed to agree on whether to limit plastic production or focus solely on waste management.
In short:
- Talks stalled after oil-rich nations resisted measures to cap plastic production, arguing that pollution, not production, should be the focus.
- More than 120 countries, led by Norway and Rwanda, advocated for production cuts and stricter measures to combat plastic waste's impact on health and climate.
- The failure highlights the challenge of reducing reliance on a material integral to modern life and dominated by fossil-fuel interests.
Key quote:
“Colleagues, we didn’t accept a weak treaty here, and we never will. To the 120 nations standing for ambition, I say: Let us be relentless. We may have been delayed, but we will not be stopped.”
— Juan Carlos Monterrey Gómez, Panama’s delegation
Why this matters:
Plastic is choking ecosystems, invading our bodies and accelerating climate change. Read more: Every stage of plastic production and use is harming human health.
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Credit: Mark Dixon/Flickr
Leaked documents expose plastic industry’s covert PR campaign
The plastics industry has deployed influencers, misleading messaging and covert tactics to push back against environmental criticism while nations negotiate a global treaty to address plastic pollution.
In short:
- A leaked trove of documents reveals that the National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR) has funded a covert campaign using influencers and social media to counter environmental concerns about plastics.
- Despite claims of PET plastics being a "zero-waste system," less than 30% of PET bottles are recycled in the U.S., with the remainder contributing to microplastic pollution and environmental harm.
- The campaign’s lack of transparency, including undisclosed sponsorships and misleading messaging, has drawn scrutiny, particularly as global leaders meet to negotiate a treaty aimed at curbing plastic production.
Key quote:
“The campaign’s goal is for this content to be authentic and from the creators’ viewpoints.”
— Lindsay J.K. Nichols, NAPCOR Communications Director
Why this matters:
While international negotiators look for solutions, the industry is doubling down on spin. The playbook is clear — shift the blame onto consumers and push rosy recycling myths — all while sidestepping accountability for the millions of tons of plastic pollution spiraling out of control.
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Newsletter
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Exxon commits $200 million to Texas recycling expansion
ExxonMobil plans a $200 million investment in Texas to boost plastic recycling capacity using advanced pyrolysis technology, aiming to process 1 billion pounds of waste annually by 2027.
In short:
- ExxonMobil will expand operations at its Baytown and Beaumont, Texas, facilities to recycle up to 500 million pounds of plastic waste by 2026.
- The company uses pyrolysis technology, branded as Exxtend, to turn plastic waste into new, "virgin-quality" plastic with certified circularity.
- Exxon faces ongoing litigation from California over claims it misrepresented the efficacy of plastic recycling.
Key quote:
“We sell virgin-quality product, and a subset of our customers are buying a ‘certified circular certificate’ to demonstrate that for every ton that they buy... a ton of post-use plastic was fed into our facility.”
— Karen McKee, president of ExxonMobil Product Solutions
Why this matters:
The initiative reflects industry efforts to address plastic pollution and promote circular economies. However, questions remain about the scalability and environmental impact of chemical recycling, especially amid legal and public scrutiny over corporate greenwashing.
Related:
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