Stories

PBS Frontline produced one of the most informative documentaries to date about plastic recycling.  First aired in March 2020, it includes interviews with plastic industry executives and lobbyists who discuss the efforts to convince the public that recycling could solve the plastics problem.

PBS NewsHour correspondent Amna Nawaz gives an excellent look at plastics including how it became popular, it’s impact on the world, and what can be done to reduce it’s environmental impact. 

This New York Times video addresses some important topics including:

• Plastic industry group ad campaigns that give the impression plastics are recyclable placing the responsibility on consumers.
• Most categories  of plastics aren’t recycled.

Produced by the British public broadcast service Channel 4:

• Plastic pollution is a global problem.
• Explanations are given about why recycling efforts are failing.

PBS Digital Studios short doc on how plastic recycling works.

This Ted Ed video promotes the benefits of recycling plastic bottles.  It discusses the life cycle of 3 plastic bottles.

• Bottle 1 ends up in a landfill.
• Bottle 2 is washed into a river and eventually reaches the ocean and joins one of the 5 gyres in the world’s oceans becoming part of the food chain ending up in fish consumed by humans.
• Bottle 3 is recycled.

This video discusses a common perception that plastics industry organizations misled the public by designing a symbol that looks like the recycling symbol, using it to identify different types of plastic.

Although most types of plastic are not recycled, it’s still best to recycle whatever you can to keep it out of the landfill.