Dow Asks Texas to Legalize Plastic Pollution from its Seadrift Complex

Inside Climate News · By Dylan Baddour · last updated March 2, 2026 – 1:02 AM

Facing multiple lawsuits, Dow requests an “unprecedented” permit amendment to authorize its discharge of polyethylene pellets into coastal waters.

By Dylan Baddour

Two weeks ago, when Texas sued a massive Dow petrochemical plant over water pollution, state environmental regulators were already considering a novel proposal from the company that would effectively legalize discharges of plastic material from the 4,700–acre complex into waters feeding San Antonio Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.

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