Fearless journalism
for a healthier world

DonateContactSign Up
Sign Up
Photo by Desiree Rios for Bloomberg

series

Flaring Front Lines

Burning off excess gas is one of the oil industry’s dirtiest habits, spewing pollutants across communities worldwide. A global investigation examines why, despite company pledges, flaring is getting worse.
New
Industrial Pollution
Flaring Front Lines

Toxic flames next door: Persistent gas flares undercut oil industry pledges

Exxon, Occidental and Diamondback are among those touting efforts to end routine gas flaring, but their flames keep spewing pollution around the world.

October 5, 2026

Those loopholes are so big that they don’t have to do anything.

Industrial Pollution

Companies are burning off more gas from oil fields, polluting the air and heating the planet

A World Bank report found global flaring rose for a third straight year in 2025, spewing air pollution linked to preterm births and respiratory diseases.

June 24, 2026

Subscribe to our newsletter

Global health reporting,
straight to your inbox

Our MissionOur impactOur teamJobsDonateContact

topics

TobaccoBig FoodPollutionDrugs
Privacy PolicyTerms & Conditions
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.