File photo
Pictured are the concrete slopes of White Oak Bayou in Houston.
A Houston company that manufactures skincare products and other cosmetics is accused of releasing 100 gallons of coconut lotion into a sewer line, with the substance ending up in White Oak Bayou, according to Harris County court documents.
Immacule Lab, located north of the bayou at 7432 Fairbanks N. Houston Rd., was charged with water pollution, a felony, on Wednesday. Court records show the discharge of the thick, white substance occurred on April 15, and an environmental crimes detective with the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office noticed it was “still partially present” in a nearby drainage ditch two months later.
Bin Liang, a manager for the company, provided the investigator with a chemical breakdown of the lotion, showing it contained substances that can clog drainage systems and be harmful to fish and vegetation, court documents show.
“This discharge has the potential to kill plants and aquatic organisms, clog stormwater systems, and pose a pollution risk to drinking water sources and wetlands by entering or threatening to enter storm drains leading to waters of the state, namely White Oak Bayou,” the detective wrote in a charging document filed in court. “Said discharge was not in strict compliance (with) any required permits, orders, or rules issued or adopted by the appropriate regulatory agency, namely The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).”
Immacule Lab did not respond to a voicemail and email on Friday seeking comment.
Harris County Precinct 1 Constable
Immacule Lab, a Houston cosmetics manufacture, is accused of discharging 100 gallons of coconut lotion into a sewer line in April 2025, with the substance eventually entering White Oak Bayou.
A company spokesperson told the Houston Chronicle in a statement that it “takes environmental protection very seriously, and we regret the lotion spill that entered the business park retention pond. We are fully committed to cooperating with the appropriate authorities regarding this matter.”
The constable’s office began investigating the discharge in early June after it was reported by Jim Haney, the security coordinator for Harris County Municipal Utility District 23, court documents show. Haney provided photos he took in May that showed the lotion covering the surface of the bayou, also telling the detective that “neighboring residents expressed concern about the discharge, fearing it could negatively impact the bayou and surrounding environment,” according to court records.
When visiting the retention pond near the company’s property in early June and observing the lotion, the detective noted that it “emitted a strong, musty, and foul odor,” court documents show. The detective also saw dead vegetation in the area while collecting samples.
Liang allegedly told the detective the discharge was a “one-time incident” involving a “bad batch.”