Texas AG holds recycling companies accountable for toxic pollution near Colorado River

Austin, Texas – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has won a major environmental case, securing a $60 million judgment against a group of recycling companies and their owner for illegally dumping hazardous chemicals into a tributary of the Colorado River.

The judgment brings closure to a case that began in 2019, when Skull Creek, a waterway in southeast Texas, suddenly turned pitch black. Local residents reported dead fish, foul odors, and visible contamination in the water. An investigation led to David Polston and his companies—Inland Environmental and Remediation, Inland Recycling, and Boundary Ventures—as the source of the pollution.

What was supposed to be a recycling facility turned out to be a front for illegal waste dumping. Investigators found unauthorized pits filled with petroleum-laced soil, leaking barrels of chemical waste, and severely contaminated land and water. None of it had the proper permits required under state law.

In response, Attorney General Paxton immediately filed suit to halt the dumping and launched a legal battle that lasted several years. The recently finalized judgment not only imposes over $60 million in penalties on Polston and his businesses but also includes provisions requiring the cleanup and restoration of the polluted site.

“I will not allow rogue corporations to pollute Texas’s land and rivers by illegally dumping dangerous chemicals that kill our wildlife and hurt the environment,” said Attorney General Paxton. “Companies that do business in Texas have a duty to take care of the land and follow the law. If you mess with Texas, you will face the consequences.”

Paxton also noted that the landowner had profited from the dumping operation, accepting payment to allow waste disposal on the property. His office successfully pushed for a court order forcing the landowner to take full responsibility for environmental restoration.

This case sends a clear message to other companies operating in the state: environmental laws in Texas are not optional. Businesses that ignore them do so at their own risk.

Environmental watchdogs have praised the outcome, calling it one of the strongest enforcement actions in recent years. The decision not only punishes the offenders but also sets a precedent for holding polluters accountable—both financially and legally—for the damage they cause.

With this judgment, the state has taken a firm step toward ensuring that Texas waterways and landscapes remain protected from reckless and unlawful industrial practices.