Tracking your plastic: Exposing recycling myths (Marketplace)

Marketplace journalists go undercover overseas and pose as recycling brokers to expose the lucrative plastic recycling business. We reveal that Malaysian companies are willing to break the law to buy Canadian plastic and show how some of it is dumped and burned in illegal landfills, where the toxic fumes and run-off appear to be making people sick. Back in Canada, we buy nine tonnes of plastic and secretly track where big companies are taking it. Will it actually get recycled?
To read more: www.cbc.ca/1.5299176
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For more than 75 years, CBC News has been the source Canadians turn to, to keep them informed about their communities, their country and their world. Through regional and national programming on multiple platforms, including CBC Television, CBC News Network, CBC Radio, CBCNews.ca, mobile and on-demand, CBC News and its internationally recognized team of award-winning journalists deliver the breaking stories, the issues, the analyses and the personalities that matter to Canadians.

[@mrbear1302]

So you are saying these recycling companies that take our money to provide a service are basically dumping their problems somewhere else and pocketing the money?!?!?

[@longjohnston1363]

Exactly they're kind of like the middleman. They don't particularly care what you do with the plastic once you get it but the initial plan is for recycling program. It's like that expression, expect the worst but hope for the best.

[@JS-qg1ie]

Bingo!

[@sarabeacher]

Yes and they have been doing it for decades

[@nr4393]

Yep

[@orinew6711]

it's called CAPITALISM, make your money and screw everything

[@lunacron]

Can't most of these problems be solved by going back to glass bottles for liquids, brown paper bags and boxes for most everything else and tin foil for small items like candies.

[@CurveTheRain]

lunacron and make the companies change their ways!? Snapple recently went to all plastic bottles, these companies don’t care.

[@AznTony360]

Yes, yes it can. But there's an issue with your proposed idea. Corporate top hats only care about money, it's the reason everything we use today has shifted to plastic. It's cheaper to manufacture and throw away than it is to make glass/metal items and recycle them. Since plastic is cheap to make, it means higher there is a higher margin since the price virtually for the item usually doesn't change. Those who created plastic a hundred years ago probably believed it would make the world a better place, but flash forward a decade later, it's threatening our entire existance.

[@maudepotvin8660]

Coca Cola as many studies that say yes, glass bottle are the best. But cost more ...

[@nocause5395]

Glass causes problem as well. It's people's need for simple and quick that is the problem.

[@ikmalizzatjohari6475]

@@maudepotvin8660 Glass is very hard to recycle, if you don't believe me just search for coca cola glass recycling in spain. Not to mention different kind of glass cannot be recycled together and have no easy way to separate. Metals and paper is the easiest to recycle as far as I know

[@hannyjaimin8382]

I am Malaysian.. As much as I am shocked and sad watching this documentary, I cannot help thinking that it is time for us as citizen of the earth to come together and take action. Finger pointing and blaming game only take us so far. We only have one home.. The Earth and we owe to the next generation to take care of it. It's terrifying to see how those major player in economy and policy shutting their eyes about this global problem..

[@SLIDEWAYSLIDEWAY]

I love how Natasha works so hard to separate everything just so it all ends up at the dump.

[@jessicascharpf7537]

Right, that broke my heart to see such a sweet soul to be taken advantage of by this whole industry.

[@bascal133]

As soon as I saw that she was taking Styrofoam to recycle I am mediately knew that there was no chance that was actually going to be processed.

[@functionalist]

This program only covered plastics. Glass, paper, and aluminium gets recycled. Even among the plastic, some of it became pellets and some of it became fuel for a power station. It's bad, but it doesn't mean that there was no point to recycling.

[@jackshen5093]

Wow, recycling companies are not obligated to recycle. That's awesome.

[@badkitty3169]

So sad 🙁

[@NnBadon-se6pf]

Jack Shen that's not awesome that's abominable!

[@bokurakyomoikiteru6130]

recycling companies do recycle. they recycled our plastics into money then into their pocket.

[@michellepatch2045]

@@NnBadon-se6pf I believe he was speaking in sarcasim.

[@muffintop420]

I hate how it's always put on the consumers to deal with the problem. Telling us, well if you use less plastic the problem will go away. No, we need to force companies and corporations to use less plastic!

[@3lmodfz]

It's not just Canada shipping their waste abroad, the UK, Australia and other 1st world countries do it too. This has to stop, if we can't deal with it in house then perhaps we need to stop producing it all together!

[@Hrshsngh_19]

Yeah goodluck with that white people. You morons can't just stop using and buying things that you don't need.

[@wereabouttoargueaintwe4582]

Harsh Singh how can you even say it’s just white people. I’ve seen plastic bags all over the world I’ve seen plastic bottles ALL OVER THE WORLD. China makes just as much as America and Canada COMBINED😂 I’m going to stop using facts and knowledge with you I bet it gets me nowhere.

[@patriciomunoz2830]

Europeans started this way in the 80's to show the world how good they are

[@rivahkillah]

1st world countries don't produce it. A lot of these products are produced in and shipped from 3rd world countries, and then used in 1st world countries, and then shipped back.

[@SCHMALLZZZ]

@Dirt Rider actually the USA municipalities wese making money from the recycling programs untill China said enough

[@sld1776]

"Keep it out of the landfill" is not a good target. The landfill is much better than a river in Malaysia.

[@The_Monolith]

The target we should have in mind is : stop producing it. A lot of the plastic we produce and use can be eliminated or replaced by greener alternatives. "But it's more convenient / comfortable" is not a good excuse.

[@pb5626]

Exactly what I thought. Plastic in a Canadian landfill that is properly controlled is way better than some open pit in Malaysia where it might end up blowing in the wind into a river or the ocean or wherever. Not to mention the resources to get it to Malaysia in the first place. Plus, look at the people working in those places.

[@euphoniahale5181]

Most of y’all must have missed what Myra Herd said. First come reduce, reuse. Get over the fears and buy bulk when possible and bring or reuse container to put it in at the store.

[@cameronsams9183]

WALL-E wants to know your location

[@AbdulAziz4CaNaDa]

Underrated comment 😇

[@seeya205]

I clean my containers before putting them into the recycling bin just to have them go to the dump. Unbelievable!

[@Igor333m]

Me too! Sad...

[@seeya205]

@Peter Cross I saw on the news the one day that if they are dirty, they get tossed so I thought, what is the point of recycling if I don't clean them.

[@seeya205]

@Peter Cross Apparently

[@HandsomEnchilada]

oh nice .I dont have to worry about taking the recycle out of the trash bin now :D

[@CoughingPig]

It's kind of like you give the cdn government 13 % Hst + income tax(es) only to learn they can afford to send billions to foreign dictators while constantly cutting down on social security (CPP) , education, health and so on ….

[@RAM-BAWN]

Bring back glass bottles that had a deposit on them. That's how I made my "candy" money when I was little.

[@patriot9455]

I am of that age as well. As a young adult, I also recycled newsprint for my living for a few years.

[@hiitsrudd8567]

In the winter I burn most of my plastic in my wood stove, you'd be amazed how much oil blazes up!

[@patriot9455]

@@hiitsrudd8567 Sounds like recycling to me

[@mountainman5025]

Wow! a way to support my meth habit...I'm in!!!!!

[@tiffanyunderwood8114]

They have that in Germany

[@ckrause81]

I'm from bc Canada and recycle religiously. And this video is appalling to me and makes me feel ashamed.

[@daniluchison]

ckrause81 4 months later, you forgot about this and went through Christmas shopping season...

[@daniluchison]

Oldschool1973 I did not make ONE Christmas purchase. I’m however trying to buy antivirus face masks off Amazon and there are none available due to the pandemic!

[@Doyamn]

I am from the US and like you I live by recycling and this is making me so sad . I am sure the US isn't any different 😕

[@francescapowell1538]

It’s not your fault.. you thought you were doing your part. We are being lied to on a daily about almost everything.

[@anonymousweeble2224]

I feel that.. After you process that feeling, search around for some info on how the PR process the industry went through for first getting consumers accept the process of buying disposable things (which they didn't want to do at first), and then getting individual consumers to feel like they were the ones responsible for litter. The reason you feel shame, is because millions of dollars has been spent over generations to indoctrinate people into feeling like litter was a problem that is supposed to be solved at an individual level. (Anyone remember the "indian" with the single tear?) The shame response is something I feel too, and it's a constant process of shifting it to anger at those who profit from the situation, discussing this with our communities, and organizing around our collective demands..

[@mariahmakinen6887]

Just...ew. I'm beyond shocked that so little actually gets recycled. I've always separated my waste to keep the plastic/metals out of the dump and then to hear...its...just getting dumped/burned anyway. That's beyond disappointing.

[@zippitydodaday6037]

Metal gets recycled. USA is in high demand for aluminum cans from china. When they place a large order we get paid more per pound cashing them in. Usually an extra 20-30 cents per pound. If you have a place to store then call every month for prices to make extra. China buys serveral times a year

[@sounsure9108]

Mariah Makinen probably the metal is actually being recycled it worth real money in Canada, the plastic is the problem. When I was little 40 years ago my mom made us wash the tin cans cut the ends off and flatten them , bundled newspapers, wash glass and all of this we took to a scrap yard ourselves. We burned all our other papers, she thought it was better than the landfill and composted ( not bread meat or dairy because it was the garden) and we used bags that bread or some other products came in over and over because she would not by cling wrap . Yogurt continues were used to freeze fresh fruits and jam. It wasn’t zero waste but it was a lot more responsible than today.

[@davelawson2564]

@@sounsure9108 she was responsible adult. Today we have overgrown irresponsible people.

[@Arafingol]

This video is a scam. Plastic recycling in BC is largely, (yet not completely), regulated by the government. That which is collected by Recycle BC does NOT go to south asian dumping grounds.

[@IveSeenSomeStuff]

Guess everyone forgot about the movie WALL-E ?🤨

[@rickybobby0314]

Mr. Incognito good one. I know I forgot. I give you two 👍👍 my good sir.

[@IveSeenSomeStuff]

@@rickybobby0314 Thanks man 😅

[@daniluchison]

If you always knew... what ACTION have you taken?...

[@yaku0395]

Yep

[@robertmckeown5315]

Even here in the US if recycling really worked, I should see "made from post-consumer material" everywhere, and I don't. Why? The system is not working as designed.

[@MrThatnativeguy]

Plenty of Kellogg’s cereal boxes and some tissue paper are now made from post consumer biodegradable materials

[@CliftonPhotographer]

I remember seeing a teenager who designed packaging for chips. It was either able to break down in the environment or the rapper itself is edible. In the end though Sun Chips, who had been using the packaging, decided against it, saying the package was too noisy. Yes. NOISY.

[@jakeday4105]

Never have recycled never will for this reason I knew this 30 years ago when everyone was washing their cans and bottles wasting water to put them in the blue bin to send them to Malaysia

[@Doyamn]

Jake Day to each their own

[@wsrtwetr]

Same. Nevered recycled coz I knew this was how it will be. Now, it doesn't mean I am not committed to reducing plastic waste, I just don't waste my time sorting them and pretend our politicians care. Going to start bringing my own containers to butchers so I don't buy pre packaged meat and reduce the use of plastic.

[@HangNguyen-ih8rf]

I’m beyond mad now. I live in rich but sick country.

[@torpor5740]

My father doesn't recycle, so I asked him why. A huge argument ensued. A few weeks later I watch this video. I owe him an apology.

[@rainbows9060]

Wow! Some healing in your relationship with your pops?? You can thank plastic!🤔

[@The_Monolith]

I realized this a few years ago. Now, I do my best to consume as little plastic as I can, but we need much more than this, we need all of our governments to take action and ban all non-essential use of plastic.

[@torpor5740]

@@The_Monolith you do realize the government knows that our "recycling" program involves dumping our recycling overseas? I'm actually a bit erked. Feel like the recycling propaganda was marketed by a snake oil salesman. On our dime, no less.

[@crangel2183]

But you are missing the point thought, the question has never been about whether we should recycle or not, but how can we have a more efficient and environmentally conscious way of recycling.

[@itsonlymyopinionok8115]

so just throw it all out? that would be a LOT of garbage, here in my city we're only allowed 1 bag per week .. lol

[@getlostinyoutubewithmyplay212]

Why isn’t this being brung up politically? When I vote this year I want a person in charge who’s going to clean up this country and the messes we made in other countries!

[@dionysus3774]

Vote me Pikachu 2020 president!

[@brunovazquez1]

Carbon and other more dangerous toxics materials/elements are far worst than plastic tbh. This is on the bottom of an environmental list.

[@wantedwario2621]

The answer to why an issue isnt being brought up by the politicians can always be found in if they make money from it.

[@rmayr2075]

Get lost in KZbin with my playlist i dont believe in climate change thats my view and i’d love if the government would stop talking big about climate change and actually do something about these messes and garbage

[@Ahhtheserenity]

Our australian rubbish is doing the same thing and ending up in these southneast asian countries

[@AnonymousAmyMakes]

This forced me to rethink the way I've been living. I recycle EVERYTHING I possibly can. I try to keep everything I can put of the landfill either by recycling or donating for reuse. To think that all of the things I recycle each week is ending up like this just crushed me. Reduce for me from here on out!

[@sld1776]

I started laughing at Natasha, but seeing her reactions through the video as her hopes and dreams keep crashing down was hard to watch. Ouchie.

[@CliftonPhotographer]

The world needs more people like Natasha.

[@gort5583]

Shocking, money is more important than people, the environment or the planet. What's next politicians lie!

[@cjmann3033]

Welcome to America!

[@ParadymShiftVegan]

Polytricksters you say?

[@emmaz3505]

Anything can and will have a price point put on it in a capitalistic society. As long as capitalism is a thing we will never change anything. Big corps will continue to overproduce and make toxic products. Recycling will soon no longer exist because it's "too expensive" now that China doesn't want America's poorly separated recyclables 🙃

[@aaronmacy9134]

The “eco friendly” targeted beer ad I got before this video is the hypocrisy we’re dealing with.

[@eugeneshealthproject]

We Americans need a Marketplace type show in the United States of America that is independent from the lying media. It sounds like you don't want to hear from people from KZbin

[@mvmlego1212]

Every media outlet lies about something or other. The solution is to get a variety of sources. I use a combination of PBS, the New York Times, and the Daily Wire.

[@highstreetkillers4377]

This is CBC, it is state controlled media. Our tax dollars pay to produce. Government loves marketplace to justify they're whacked lefty policies. Don't trust CBC, it's owned by the government

[@jasonsimms4238]

@@seriousbees jts crazy that you believe this.

[@blancaguts]

KZbin needs to add this video to the recommendations list. Excellent reporting. So sad that this is happening. What can we do ?

[@KevinBolsajian]

my dad had always told me to stop wasting my time sorting out the trash when I was little, because "All of it goes to the same place," I never listened to any of it- he was right...

[@alexandrasvdavis]

Kevin Bolsajian just try your best to consume less 🌍🌏🌎💚

[@crisc9280]

Clearly, the word recycling has no meaning. The entire point of doing recycling has been missed completely. This is very disturbing!

[@davelawson2564]

only china , India recycle 60% of plastic waste. Rest is mixed waste either goes to landfill or burned . All "western " countries recycle less than 2% of plastic they generate/use.

[@johnfoltz8183]

Liberal hypocrisy

[@randyralls9658]

The point was always to make money. They sold the idea to you as helping the environment. You took the time to sort it and clean it and then gave it away for free. 😂😂😂

[@Arafingol]

This video is a scam. Plastic recycling in BC is largely, (yet not completely), regulated by the government. That which is collected by Recycle BC does NOT go to south asian dumping grounds.

[@SAMMIsLIFE]

@@randyralls9658 damn, we've been played, they make money off our trash that we give away for free, smh

[@ncdave4life]

Waste-to-energy is actually a good approach to reusing recycled plastics. It's really just using petroleum as fuel, because most plastic is made from fossil fuels, and the rest is made from plants: vegetable oils, cellulose, etc. Burned in a landfill, waste plastic produces lots of smoke and toxic fumes. But burned in a proper facility, under controlled conditions, at the right temperatures, with the adequate air supply, and the same "scrubber" technologies used by coal plants, waste plastic becomes a clean energy source, which reduces consumption of fossil fuels. With the exception of some metals, most recycling doesn't make economic sense, and never will. But, if you want to keep waste plastics out of landfills and oceans, then waste-to-energy is probably the best thing we can do with it.

[@birdiehats]

What about the ashes from the plastic? Is that safe for the environment? Where does that get dumped?

[@eugenetswong]

@@birdiehats in a landfill. There will less stuff to throw in a landfill. It's interesting, because the filters are also incinerated.

[@abdur1996]

Never thought of just how bad the situation was with recycling. Great investigative report CBC.

[@Chulitooooo]

Couldnt these companies be sued for misleading practices

[@Hanguyen-mg1ue]

YEETED BEATED yeah good idea but some judges are corrupt

[@boristheodd2644]

sued? they should be hung up to show all other in that dirty business that there could be a price to pay aside from money

[@boristheodd2644]

than stop pretending it would be a good starting point

[@otallono]

@@boristheodd2644 It's the people who want to keep using plastic. Period. I don't know anyone who is against using plastic. Yet plenty of the same people who don't mind using it come here to complain about it as if they're not part of the issue :')

[@boristheodd2644]

well, i know a bunch of ppl, me included who at least try to reduce the usage whereever possible. hard enough to to find. and i think, if recycling is such a lie, than why even bother trying to do it. so at least thos scammers don't earn money from pretending to recycle

[@elainekilgore1352]

All this tells me is that when recycling was encouraged and we followed through, the powers-that- be did not have much of a plan about actually recycling it.

[@Alei80sBaby]

Elaine Kilgore this is a very scary thought but it’s apparently very true!😔

[@elainekilgore1352]

Ashleigh George , I’d say they better get to it, then. Reducing packaging alone would be a good start.

[@Emanresuadeen]

Recycling was never planned by the "powers that be" unless you mean the environmental movement itself. Governments and the public responded to their message, and here we are.

[@elainekilgore1352]

Emanresuadeen , truly. You’d think it was quantum physics.

[@Emanresuadeen]

@@elainekilgore1352 Making physical objects completely dissipate into nothingness, seems to be the only thing that will make everyone happy. So quantum physics would be a help.

[@marceld6061]

Another great CBC production. This should be made mandatory viewing in schools. Teach the kids early so they don't make the same mistakes as their parents. The only solution is to DEMAND change. Whenever possible, vote with your pocketbook. If a company does not voluntarily change, don't buy their products. One of my biggest pet peeves is that the ORGANIC groceries in the stores all are wrapped in plastic or have plastic stickers that the non-organics do NOT have. Backwards thinking!

[@berto4676]

Thank you very much for making documentaries like this. I love Marketplace. I don't live in Canada, but in Spain, and I don't think recycling is different here. Thank you for sharing these videos on youtube, you're amazing. Keep up the good work, please!

[@Eusantdac]

This is pretty aweful. wtf are our recycling companies doing and why is no gov't agency checking on this?

[@sarabeacher]

They are making $$$, the recycling doesn’t help the environment, it helps conglomerates

[@painterboy454]

City of Toronto has been sending 80% of all recyclables they collect to landfill for decades.

[@TheSuperi9]

why dont Canadians say no to plastics which will force manufacturers to find Eco friendly packaging etc. shame on Canadian for sending their trash to third world countries. SHAME ON CANADIANS SHAME ON YALL

[@wynottgivemore9274]

I'm a Canadian whom walks down the river bank picking up glass... I hate the site of this world of trash and it smells horrible ,gives me major migraines ,plastic from packaging has a toxic chemical and it is hurting life on our planet. Cars are made of plastic. Well I just wanted to be clear,that if we all picked up after ourselves,and maybe reused bags, or buy used instead of always wanting brand spanking new, that's a lot of packaging in one box ,for a new tv Or lawn mower... and then most of the time I see guys throwing all the packaging on the curb,or in the blue bin with all the Styrofoam and plastic still in the box . Well that's not acceptable.

[@murtze2998]

Modern day economics is brain damage

[@monsitime9370]

We need to be more aware of what we do to mother nature

[@alexandrasvdavis]

“I should probably use less” yes that’s the goal 🌎🌏🌍💚

[@connordrake5713]

Me too. :-) I had the same reaction as her and the recycling they always says for a lot decade is a scam. :'(

[@thomasmiddlebrooke1012]

The sad fact of the matter is many plastics in all reality can't be recycled.

[@ricknelsonm]

THEN THEY SHOULD NOT BE MADE, go back to glass

[@robertpatterson8437]

@@ricknelsonm Who are you shouting that to? Don’t see anyone here that’s a CEO of a giant plastic company...

[@CliftonPhotographer]

What you define as many plastics? Because plastic bottles can surely be recycled as well as others.

[@thomasmiddlebrooke1012]

@@CliftonPhotographer There are 2 basic groups of plastics: Thermoplastics and thermosets. Thermoplastics melt, and as a result can be reused. Examples would be HDPE, LDPE, PET and PS plastics. Thermoset plastics however are plastics formed as the result of some kind of reaction that generates heat. Resin epoxies and urethanes come to mind. These plastics, once formed, cannot melt, and will instead burn. As a result, they cannot be recycled.

[@Paata02]

5:31 so she just drove her gas car over to depot to dump one bag of plastic, seems very environmentally conscious decision

[@sld1776]

Right? Hahahaha!

[@goodhairwoman]

And she doesn’t know where the recycling ends, on a ship full of fuel to the other part of the world!

[@TheRiskyChance]

I'm sure it was just an example for the show.

[@desousa302]

THE ONLY THING WE CAN DO IS GO BACK TO USING GLASS, TINS AND ALUMINIUM PACKAGING. LIKE BACK IN THE GOOD OL' DAY

[@grandgao3984]

Aluminum has its own problems. I've heard about the mountains of NOXIOUS red mud, literally MILLIONS OF TONS of that, piled up in many places. China in particular, also exists in developed worlds that were once huge in that industry. Bulk aluminum could be recycled efficiently, but maybe not those thin foils.

[@ericramos1916]

This is why I think mealworms are the solution. Only a certain type, from what I’ve heard, but they can fully decompose plastic in the time of about a week. Not super efficient, but much better then burning plastic. I think true plastic recycling plants would be pools of mealworms, with plastic being dumped into them at a slow but consistent rate.

[@saggitarusspirit401]

They eat styrofoam

[@TravisJamesH]

So basically we're "recycling" so we don't have to throw it in domestic dumps? That's not fair at all!

[@LilOutlaw112]

I kinda feel for Natasha her world just got crushed

[@RussM87]

Her fault for believing eveything she hears from the morning news... It's time people do their own research. We shouldn't have to have marketplace bring us a video. A lot of people knew about this problem already

[@lasercat538]

Pardon me for asking, but who’s Natasha?

[@itsm3th3b33]

She is typical of the vast majority of the population, especially the young crowd - naive and gullible. They put their plastics in the blue bin because they want to feel good about themselves.

[@lasercat538]

J Y so it’s an expression like Aunt Flo or Merry Sue?

[@LilOutlaw112]

No it’s the girl in the video

[@Carlitos283]

What make me sick is when I see the restaurant chain Wendys using plastic cup for the ketchup.

[@Carlitos283]

thegaygaymerchannel all restaurant chains use paper cups.

[@Saphire_Throated_Carpenter_Ant]

I used to be a city custodian, cleaned the city facilities like city hall and fleet maintenance, power distribution centers etc. During my time there the only things that made it to the recycling bin were the cardboard boxes, and then only because the trash bins would overflow if they were put in the trash. Every trash can had a blue recycling bin right next to it but I was informed that the recycling bin was there for throwing things away that people might need to pull back out of the trash and not want food or whatever on it. Cans and bottles went in the trash and when I asked if I could take them out if I saw them I was told that would be considered stealing and they would take 5 cents off my check for each one they caught me taking. At the end of the day the recycling bins get dumped into the same dumpster as the trash. This is at every facility owned by that particular city. I have to imagine it must be similar policies elsewhere.

[@faisal-ca]

Thank you for putting effort and tracking that. We all breath the same air. We can't just dump it in someone's else backyard and think that it wont effect anyone.

[@yardmasterswealtheducation8424]

"We can always do better." is always true, and therefore never an answer to a real question.

[@tiberia4408]

Recycling companies are supposed to be the experts in recycling and find ways to recycle 100% of our waste. It's their vocation after all.

[@troytreeguy]

TIBÉRIA A big part of the problem is that the materials are low grade, with China shutting off import of plastics the glut now in the market is opening up opportunities in the United States and as I wrote this factories are being set up to begin manufacturing with the recyclables.

[@marlboromatt5656]

Effective immediately I am no longer recycling

[@user-us9mk1de9m]

Well you could always recycle tin cans. The recycling of aluminium is more profitable than that of plastic so companies actually bother with it.

[@markmyjak7739]

I stopped a long time ago. I don’t bother with bottle redemption. The cost of my time out weighs the money collected from redemption.

[@fernandajordan6110]

If you’re not going to recycle at least put in the effort to not use or purchase plastic.

[@wolfmantroy6601]

I burn everything but glass and metal.

[@ginsederp]

@@markmyjak7739 Bottle redemption is likely different. Since it is a sorted stream of only 1 type of plastic, often in a huge volume, it is much cheaper (and ever so slightly profitable) to recycle.

[@ravenousturtle8498]

Aluminium is the only thing that ought to be recycled.

[@mikesacco8457]

Funny. In one of my classes the professor was talking about this. So my buddy made a tracking system and put it in the trash. It was done in CA. It left CA then to Texas. Then to Florida then up the cost. Lost track for 2 weeks then ended up in China. It sat there for 1 week then went up in the hills were it stayed there for 9 weeks till battery died. Hmmm I want to add because someone asked me about climate change. Do I think it’s as bad as they say. Mmm no. But i say this because I have not took the time to read it all for myself. With that said. For anyone who thinks it’s a hoax or not. Things like this are simply wrong and a waste. And if people are dumping trash like this in the ground for profit then it’s just doing harm. Proof on this point. Where I grew up me and my friends would ride dirt bikes and party. It was near a river. Ride the bikes and swim. When we would walk on the dirt our feet would burn if we stood there long enough. We always thought as kids the ground was hot from sun. About 20 years later. A company was busted dumping 55 gallon drums of waste from a paint plant. It was reported it leached all the way down. So we as people if you think climate change is real or not. We gotta do more. Sadly more care about greed and saving $$. They don’t care Very sad

[@Nobody-ig9pb]

Mike Sacco WACIST

[@gerard7417]

Impressive what we can do in 2019

[@rickybobby0314]

Sounds like a lot of poorly spent time and money on these so called “recycle centers “. Why don’t they spend that time and money on actual doing what they should be doing with the recycle instead of this around the world trip.

[@avengerscap]

I just added a comment similar to yours--it's ALL a joke.

[@wesleyhurd3574]

So rather than go straight across the Pacific ocean, this trash probably traveled a few thousand extra miles to go through the Panama Canal. Wasteful transportation of waste!

[@wronggg]

Next up: Is life just a giant scam comprised of many smaller scams? Stay tuned to find out!

[@MG-dc9bh]

Scaammmmmsss

[@RandomGuy-nm6bm]

Haha

[@bassplayinghero2]

Most accurate comment I've ever read

[@wronggg]

@@bassplayinghero2 thank you very little.

[@Ryan_Parmelee]

Basically yea it is...

[@manuelseda9197]

Damn this is exposing Canada, I don’t what to know what the US is doing if Canada is remotely better

[@JustAnotherRandomPersonOnline]

Probably the same crap. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (unless it's plastic?)

[@juliooliveira8117]

Listen to the podcast Planet Money, "So, should we recycle?" episode and you will find out!

[@thedoge9590]

The fact you think Canada has some kind of moral superiority over the US shows how naive you are....

[@NeilRoy]

I watched a similar program about Australian recycling and how their was also ending up in Malaysia as well! I have a friend who is a truck driver in Quebec who confirmed with me that a lot of recycled stuff ends up in landfill. The blue box is like a big blue pill to make you feel better about yourself, when in fact, it's all going to the same place... or worse! I'll say one thing, I like the idea of an incinerator which could produce power as well. I mean, you're going to have to deal with it no matter what, might as well get some use out of it and figure out how to dispose of the waste from the incineration process while we work on reducing it. One thing about MY generation, is that I grew up with paper bags, waxed paper, tinfoil and wooden baskets for our food packaging. So do blame us for the overuse of plastic. I would be happy to go back to that, I lived it, grew up with it. But I think the kids these days would have a HARD time adjusting. I almost get no plastic bags anymore, I use a small cart on wheels to pack my food in, or a cloth bag. Now that I know that so much recycling is going to other nations, I don't recycle. I would rather it be in landfill HERE where it was generated. To give us incentive to reduce the use of it.

[@joshuadeacon2283]

I live in a small town called Eden NC. We have a company called "blue ridge plastic". The employees stand by a conveyor belt of trash, digging out plastic. Which is washed, grinded up into small pellets and then sold. And our neighbors Reidsville NC has a UniFi that has just started the same thing, but they go a step further and make clothing and things out of the plastic pellets. Shirts, water bottles, duffle bags and many other things.

[@jeffdunnell508]

If someone would just make all that plastic into big leggo blocks we could build awsome houses that wouldn't fall apart

[@shanedennis1136]

They're actually making entire road ways out of plastic. Sections can be removed and replaced very easily. But Recycling is a giant multi billion dollar company and the people who run it are keeping it that way.

[@judithsoto7618]

There's an architect I'm Mexico who is building homes and everything inside

[@j.h.6633]

Judith Soto Yes! I saw something about that. So smart!

[@upnorthviking823]

This is only possible with recyclable plastic...

[@shanepowers7566]

Damn good idea.

[@elmartillo7931]

MArketplace, the last bastion of actual journalism on CBC. Keep up the good work!

[@isaaccool3183]

Victoria BC here Two good thing right now. 1. Are mayor has plans to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada 2. Most stores are still acting as if the ban is in effect.

[@alexfurey7642]

This would have been a great opportunity to give some solutions to the viewers at the end. Examples of easy swaps from plastic to glass/easily recyclable products, who to contact in government to demand better, etc. I hate when a show gets the audience all riled up about an injustice then drops the ball on suggesting how to fix the problem.

[@theapterousbird]

👏👏👏👌

[@journeywithnichole986]

AGREED--!!!!!

[@AK-ii6vn]

Great job in exposing recycling lie. Having seen this I request all to please try to reduce the usage of one time use plastic. Please try below: 1. Buy a jute or cotton bag and use the same for carrying things during shopping. 2. Always carry your own cutlery one spoon, fork and knife and please say no to plastic spoon, fork and knife. 3. Buy a steel water bottle and carry a filled one while going outside and hence avoid buying plastic bottles. 4.Carry your own ceramic or steel glass and avoid plastic cups. 5. Identity shops which sell items in loose so that you can buy in cloth bags and hence avoid plastic packages. 6. Buy steel or bamboo straws. 7.Try to buy bamboo brush 8.Try avoid tissue papers and use cloth as mostly tissue papers come in plastic packs. Please Google and try to find ways to avoid plastic. We as a consumer can influence the market by changing our shopping ways. Please pass on this message to your friends, colleagues and relatives and make our earth a better place to live.

[@faethy]

@DAVE ADAM bamboo regenerates naturally and rapidly. Metal is infinitely recycle. Plastics aren't were are you getting your information 😂😂 it can only be recycled once it reaches thinner that a plastic bag it can be used be recycled. Also microplastics

[@Aurorasmemory]

Thanks for opening it to the public. As far as I know, Canada's been on our news a year ago due to their container ban full of waste being shipped to our country.

[@Doubird28]

I was shocked to see what happens to our plastic. I truly believe people would rather just not know what is going on, out of site, out of mind. This video should be shown worldwide on all tv channels to get the information out there. I stumbled onto this video. Before today, I never gave it any thought as to what happens to our recycling.

[@herecomesthevoyage990]

Unless we find a durable, cheap yet decayable material that can replace plastic once for all, this issue will never be completely solved.

[@lizzie501]

In the same way that we had no idea what the invention of plastic would bring to our planet and environment, there could be unforeseeable impacts of the invention of an alternative. While I agree that we really should find an alternative, I think we should focus on reducing our use of plastic where it's not strictly necessary.

[@lordofwarsandfire]

We already have this, look up edible water bottles from a few years ago. Though, it's not gonna be widely used anytime soon

[@karolinakuc4783]

We already have it. It is paper you wax it and it is waterproof. If you want a see-through packaging Indian scientists invented smth out of sea weed that has qualities of plastic but it breaks down in water

[@SeanAlegator]

Recycling is a scam. Most of them kept in a landfill will be their favorite collection.

[@robertbell8016]

Marketplace is the best for honest news reporting in the entirety of the world. 60 minutes did a report from Australia and didn’t put this much effort in it go CBC!!

[@joejohnson3441]

Great job CBC ! (a government owned media company). Canadians should be proud the CBC never does anything without a hidden, ulterior motive or hidden agenda! ( .....Like maybe finding new sources of tax revenue from those poor hard working over-taxed bastards! )

[@pinkelephants1421]

I've several of these types of stories [and] as a keen reduce, reuse, recycler myself, I've come to the conclusion that packaging worldwide needs a radical overhaul - i.e. a universal return to the paper & cardboard packaging of my childhood PLUS a worldwide ban on waste exports of ANY kind, plastic or otherwise. Wholesale banning of waste exports removes all the legal loopholes.

[@TINA7HEAVEN]

This is absolutely sad.

[@nr4393]

Plastic recycling was never the answer. Even if it were recycled in North America. Plastic (unlike glass/metals/paper) losses it's quality every time it gets recycled. You can only recycle plastic about 10 times and then it becomes worthless. Glass for example can be recycled again and again forever without losing its quality. However, the answer is not going back to using only glass and paper but to replace single use plastics with new biodegradable materials that are plant based and not fossil fuel based. There are already many alternatives out there that offer environmental friendly materials that are just as durable and sterile as plastic but will biodegrade within few weeks in the proper facility.

[@corneliahanimann2173]

Where do you get the 10 times from? From ehat I know, you can't even recycle 1 full bottle at once. You can at best mix 15-20% of recycled material into new material, and the process of collecting old bottles, transporting, washing and selecting white/blue bottles is a energy-consuming process. I don't think any company managed to recycle PET bottles for 10 times

[@nr4393]

@@corneliahanimann2173 I guess it's just a rough average for the potential number of times all kinds of plastics can get recycled. Because like you said, there are cheaper kinds of plastics but also more durable high quality ones. This is why no wealthy country wants to recycle plastic. It's such a worthless mess.

[@corneliahanimann2173]

@@nr4393 I think there's one big misconception here. Countries don't recycle plastic, if you look at who ever makes an effort for recycling plastic, it's always a company. I don't even think it's with bad intent, but the fact is that Polyester decreases in quality after recycling, causes further problems because big companies are not interested in selling this more expensive product that is worse in quality. They don't sell that bottle because costumers wouldn't buy that. I believe the reason why we ever started pushing this recycling trend is because we wanted to have clean streets. What could also be done with that plastic is that it would be recycled into polyester for clothing. The catch about that is though, that we have a fashion industry that demands from you to buy new clothes with every next season, and after that, people donate these clothes to developing countries. Sorry when I got a bit ranty here, but there's so much misinformation out there

[@michaelanthony9068]

I’m completely discouraged as a plastic recycler, but thank God for people like you that are making the rich polluters accountable.

[@thetourist6567]

the only thing that can be done about it is the court, companies advertise under false pretenses that are punishable, they promise that it will be recycled that is not done, they do not say that our waste is only partially reused, that is false pretenses, if the judge does not agree, the court is also corrupt !! so it depends on a fair judge or new law proposal!

[@telomerestelomeres7775]

Human are so selfish. We are inviting our own destruction.

[@Ehhhaway]

Mohan kumar the only way to solve worlds problems is to lower the human population.

[@dontchangeit6046]

We have to stop Food Stamps and cash aids and free foods at schools to needy people

[@telomerestelomeres7775]

@Buddy Van Cigrit thank you for correction.

[@jimiplayscobo5877]

@@dontchangeit6046 What the hell does that have to do with recycling. WTF?

[@Jane-yg3vz]

@Cle Quezeda The problem is way more than plastic shopping bags. Everything is disposable and plastic: razors, pads and tampons, diapers, vacuum cleaners, TVs, microwaves, the newest version of the iPhone, etc.

[@stevenharpervw]

Ireland got rid of the plastic bag. Life just went on as normal ( with paper bags)

[@hopesy12u4]

Top notch investigative journalism, this. Well done.

[@gabrielladumitru7009]

Thank you for this. I will share it with my students.

[@jesusfreak1628]

Just another in a long list of lies from the elite lizards.

[@muffinmixish]

All hail our lizard overlords.

[@ww3intel490]

Easiest way to send mail to Malaysia, recycle it

[@Maryam-gt7bj]

It would be funny if it wasn't so sad :((

[@kara6320]

I was shocked to learn this...im so glad Marketplace exists to shed light on issues like this and I think more people need to watch this video because they are right there's no awareness around the aftermath of recycling

[@cloudjumperfox6077]

This makes me so mad I recycle and compost and thought they were doing there jobs not sending it to be taken to other parts of the world we really need to fix this and make the government and recycling and other industries like this

[@JackLeMetis]

Canadian plastics, trown away once the plastic ban happenned!! Fix the system before making new climate proposition, or worst will happen !

[@joelod.4763]

We just need to stop using single ues plastics

[@ideoformsun5806]

Just require the manufacturers to take their products back.

[@markmyjak7739]

@2:43... Imagine walking through all that plastic and finding a piece you personally threw away.

[@monkeynumbernine]

We should go back to using glass instead of plastic. Returnables... I am always amazed that people don't know what happens to all of the plastic.

[@CH-bt1hd]

I could be wrong but glass is difficult to recycle as well. Also we as people are generally slobs, you'll be stepping on glass, breathing in glass.. Recycling just needs one huge overall it seems. Infuriates me to see this vid.

[@NelgRocks]

​@@CH-bt1hd glass is definitely difficult to recycle because a lot of it breaks but sturdy refillable glass that can be reused over and over again is an environmentally friendly option

[@kenrose9065]

Plastics and old tires should be ground up and incorporated into roads and highways.

[@MoneyManHolmes]

I thought plastic bags could be melted and formed into plastic 2x4s. Not sure if they’re code approved to build houses, but that would be cool if they could.

[@wesbrackmanthercenthusiast4695]

@@MoneyManHolmes I want to use my plastic and my neighbors for sleepers aka crossties for a railroad on my farm

[@TheIdiotPlays]

@@MoneyManHolmes Recycled plastic 2x4s, forklift pallets etc. smell like crap. That's why they're not popular, atleast yet.

[@stopreportingmyplaylists6536]

thats brilliant idea!!!

[@terryturner3050]

I live out here in the high desert in California, my friend used to grind tires down and sell them to the Mitsubishi plant for fuel, It was a very clean process they had scrubbers on their exhaust. Conrad put them dumpsters everywhere for a free tire recycling. The county of San Bernardino hit him up on a fine for every dumpster, had to remove them. Since then we have tires laying all over the Desert. They charged us a recycle fee and nobody wants them. Government just squeezing into our pockets. Doesn't surprise me about the plastic. Need to make manufactures responsible for this trash.

[@ohseonglee324]

I really appreciate for telling me truth and taking risk.

[@stadionbotosani5425]

Its sad we cant do.something against big companys This shiud be treated as crimes agains the planet and everybodys life We need to take care of the planet first so we have good place to live

[@Maru-ge6jn]

The sad truth is that we don't really care. Money is what makes this world go round.

[@schorschoppenheim1825]

John Walker Lee that what capitalism means.

[@edocms]

So a CBC journalist can get so close to the illegal recycler in Malaysia to do a secrete video, but the Malaysia government couldn't manage to do that.

[@ianwassink7664]

Brian C Did you miss the part where the Malaysian government has been shutting down illegal recyclers?

[@matteoclerici3661]

The journalist as a motivation both economical an moral, while the goverments, not only in Malaysia but in other countries as well, have problems they consider more important.

[@madman3891]

Did you not watch the video lol.. watch it again

[@sevenhenson3926]

U know how lazy malays are?

[@fuzybear15]

Everyone needs to aim for Zero-Waste imperfectly. Governments need to step in with policies.

[@junweiau4601]

I'm Malaysian and disgusted. Can't believe Malaysia is turning into an international rubbish bin. Thank you Marketplace for exoposing the industry

[@Corinthians-kjv]

Selamat pagi

[@samylynch5185]

It’s hard not to use plastic because everything is made of plastic or put in plastic

[@amandafaulks2515]

I remember when I could pick thru the pile of veggies or fruit to pick the ones I wanted and now so much of it is already wrapped in plastic. I'm pretty sure that extra step of packaging is done by a middle man and is adding to the cost of fresh food...

[@inlonging]

Buddy Van Cigrit well perhaps. I feel like they always pack one that’s too ripe aka spoiled and turn it so you can’t see the rot u til you’ve bought it. Tomatoes, bruised apples, berries, etc the packaged produce is always like this. Looks good on the outside but gross once you open

[@briankoski2532]

When I was a kid, I loved going to the landfill. There was a funky family out there always digging out the valuables. They always had the coolest stuff before it got buried.

[@violetgypsie]

I don’t need vegetables on a styrofoam tray and wrapped in plastic, which is what you get in most supermarkets.

[@kathleenmurphy2379]

I use paper bags at the supermarket if they're available. They are completely recyclable because you can lay them down in your flower beds and then put your mulch on top and the worms eat it and recycle it. Cardboard can be recycled that way also you lay it down and put your put your mulch back on top the worms eat it I make the soil better. If it is White cardboard it should be only recycled on your flower beds because it may have led in the white paint that was put on the box. Newspaper can also be recycled on flower beds you pull back the newspaper I mean the mulch put the newspaper down but don't put it down very thickly and put your mulch on top it might be a good idea to water it in. But wherever I use it it makes the soil better and keeps the weeds down. You can't recycle plastic bags and let the worms eat it. Newspaper can be made into insulation. Most places won't take glass anymore I guess because it's too heavy to ship overseas to be recycled but it seems to me that that would be one of the easiest things to recycle melt it down and remold it and I don't think you get the stench that you do from plastic. Also aluminum cans or metal can should be an easy thing to recycle unlike plastic bags. I'm all for banning plastic bags at stores and making them go back to paper paper is made from the scrap from making wood to build our houses with and also it's made from trees that can't be used for the lumber industry and building industry. Also if you looked at some crafts that are done overseas like in India I say them reusing a lot of things like our detergent comes in and making them into something useful to grow their plants in. Those yogurt containers especially the big ones can have a whole put in the bottom of them and used to plant your tomato and other vegetable seedlings in during the winter getting them ready to go in your garden in the spring

[@Francois_Dupont]

why cant CBC send a guy to japan to show what is possible to do? there they actually recycle and burn the rest so cleanly no harmful gasses escape. i actually worked to design many ESP device to scrub the air of any particulates. in those incineration plant they take as much as 30% of the electricity generated to clean the air. the rest 70% is "free" electricity for the grid.

[@windrar]

Word! Japan is a small nation but yet they are so efficient at recycling in their density city. Canada should hire a group of expert from countries like Japan, just like how the Philippines got Japan's help to build the underground railway. Please, Canada uses our taxes for the better of the world.

[@aderinolamiju]

It’s done also in Sweden and they call the burning recycling

[@Francois_Dupont]

@@aderinolamiju also some people will complain about "toxic" ashes, but in reality its not any worst than radioactive waste from nuclear plants. nobody complain about that.

[@jackfreedman]

This makes me so angry. As someone who is in charge of the bins in my house, it is disappointing to see all the recyclables, that Canadians take the time to sort, end up being burnt or left to rot. Surely burning then plastic near families homes violates some sort of United Nations Article as their well-being is declining? Anyway, I suppose I am lucky to live in Northern Ireland, where all the recyclables collected from our blue bin gets sorted and sent off into UK markets where it will get reprocessed and a lot of the sorted materials get reprocessed here in Northern Ireland aswell so that's an even bigger bonus! The Canadian government should invest in more facilities in Canada to reprocess recyclables.

[@Arafingol]

This video is a scam. Plastic recycling in BC is largely, (yet not completely), regulated by the government. That which is collected by Recycle BC does NOT go to south asian dumping grounds.

[@archieandluna2019]

At a UN conference for environment recently, a Canadian government representative said squarely to Malaysian government they are not taking any plastics back... I know because my cousin was the Malaysian government rep he was saying it to

[@AccentYouLovingheart]

Governments worldwide NEED to use legal means to hold all corporations that use plastic containers accountable. All manufacturers should also be held accountable. The governments of this world are very slacking to this horrendous problem. This is truly shocking. Plastics have to be eliminated, completely banned from this earth, otherwise we will all perish if this continues.CRAZY SITUATION!

[@simplyme922]

What's scaring me is digging through trash from around the world without gloves.

[@helpAmerica1]

We banned FUR coats, shun leather coats and switched to Plastic coats insulated with fiberglass....but it made them happy at the time..

[@benmk21600]

John Connor: We're not gonna make it, are we? Humans, I mean. The Terminator: It's in your nature to destroy yourselves. John Connor: Yeah major drag, Huh?

[@stevenbeaubien]

I literally heard that in his voice. Except he didn't say humans he said people.

[@rick-yo]

Good work CBC! Governments need to work with companies to come up with sustainable solutions.

[@joejohnson3441]

If you haven't already figured out the 'real' purpose of this video, here it is.....Are you willing to pay for it?

[@mikec5820]

Outstanding journalism. Absolutely saddening.