Plastics Industry Insiders Reveal the Truth About Recycling | 'Plastic Wars' | FRONTLINE + NPR

Three top executives who represented the plastics industry at a pivotal moment shed new light on the industry’s efforts to overcome growing concern about plastic waste by pushing recycling -- despite the fact that "there was never an enthusiastic belief that recycling was ultimately going to work in a significant way."

Those are the words of Lewis Freeman, former VP of government affairs for what was then the industry’s chief lobbying group, the Society of the Plastics Industry, in the new FRONTLINE and NPR documentary, "Plastic Wars."

The industry would publicly promote recycling as the solution to the waste crisis — despite internal doubts, from almost the beginning, that widespread plastic recycling could ever be economically viable.

The strategy was simple: “If the public thinks the recycling is working, then they’re not going to be as concerned about the environment,” says Larry Thomas, who formerly headed the SPI.

To date, it's estimated that no more than 10 percent of plastic produced has ever been recycled.




Funding for FRONTLINE is provided through the support of PBS viewers and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Major funding for FRONTLINE is provided by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Ford Foundation. Additional funding is provided by the Abrams Foundation, the Park Foundation, The John and Helen Glessner Family Trust, and the FRONTLINE Journalism Fund with major support from Jon and Jo Ann Hagler on behalf of the Jon L. Hagler Foundation.

[nostromo]

Time to vote with your money. Wherever glass or metal or paper is an alternative, buy that packaging instead. I called Snapple this morning and told them that because I had heard this news story I would no longer buy their products in anything but glass or I would simply do without. Now I just have to call the companies that make my mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, salad dressing, etc. And I will be calling my state representatives and writing letters. I was lazy and this has gone on far too long.

[jasons]

Should we spend money making our product more safe for the environment or advertising? Advertising!!!

[eriknielsen]

Been fighting the feel good organisation's suporting the recycling industry for almost 10 years so thanks for telling the truth.
There is only 2 ways to get rid of plastic clean burning or process it back to oil.
Recykeling isent stupid when it's thousands of tons from industry but from private household its a study in recurce waste.

[MrTomyCJ]

So... is there a way for the public to read those documents, and hear those audios in full?

[twotone]

How smug the communities that built electric generating trash incinerators must be. That the grief the environmentalists gave them for burning what they perceived as recyclable plastic is now very ironic in retrospect.

[lieshtmeiser]

Our council has just approved recycling, and i strongly doubt it makes any economic sense.

[ultrasometimes]

Make the cores of roads from recycled mixed plastics!

[CaptainJackSparrow]

Just smash up the plastcs and make SOLAR FREAKN' ROADWAYS. Sorry, my <eye> key doesn't work.

[bigteddybear]

Dumb. Just keep dumpi g it into the ocean. Then when there's enough of it, consolidate the mass. Throw a tarp over the mass. Walah! Instant freaking island.