After 100 gallons of coconut lotion spilled in bayou, a Houston cosmetics company now faces corporate felony
Blackwell and fellow retiree Jim Haney became whistleblowers after capturing video evidence of the pollution in the Woodland Trails West subdivision. They’re careful documentation helped police.
About 100 gallons of coconut lotion — roughly 12,000 12 oz. bottles worth — were dumped into the bayou system, police say, in what they are calling a criminal act.
“We don’t need that in our water. We like to take care of our water and our neighborhood,” said local resident Jeff Blackwell.
Blackwell and fellow retiree Jim Haney became whistleblowers after capturing video evidence of the pollution in the Woodland Trails West subdivision. They’re careful documentation helped police.
In May, the water, on its way to White Oak Bayou, was so polluted it appeared frozen in place.
“We had to decide where it was coming from,” Blackwell said.
With the help of one of the largest environmental policing units in Texas, they did just that.
Constable Alan Rosen’s environmental unit investigated Immacule Lab Corporation, a private label cosmetics manufacturer located on Fairbanks North Houston near Highway 290.
The manufacturing facility located just upstream of Jim and Jeff and hundreds of their neighbors.
Authorities say the company dumped the lotion rather than properly disposing of it.
Attempts to get a comment from Immacule Lab were unsuccessful, but the company posted an apology on its website, expressing regret for the accidental spill on April 7, 2025. The company said it has taken corrective actions, including cleaning the affected area and replanting grass.
Police say the dumping was intentional.
Both Immacule Lab and its 51-year-old principal owner currently face state jail felony charges. A conviction could result in up to two years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000.
