The Myth of Plastic Recycling

Short Wave

NPR

Daily News, Nature, Life Sciences, Astronomy, Science, News

4.7 • 6K Ratings

🗓️ 12 December 2022

⏱️ 14 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

For many, recycling feels like a tangible way to personally combat climate change and to positively affect the environment. But after a years long investigation, NPR correspondent Laura Sullivan finds that reality is generally the opposite: Only a small fraction of plastic is ultimately recycled. Moreover, plastic production is on the rise.

Further reading:
- Recycling plastic is practically impossible — and the problem is getting worse
- How Big Oil Misled The Public Into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to Shortwave from NPR.
0:04.8	Hey everyone, today we are welcoming Laura Sullivan, NPR News Investigative Correspondent,
0:11.0	Longtime Truth Teller, first time Shortwave guest.
0:14.1	Welcome to the show, how are you?
0:15.9	So good to be here, doing great.
0:18.1	So we're talking today about recycling, the science of what happens and doesn't happen
0:22.8	with those peanut butter jars and yogurt containers lovingly placed in blue bins.
0:27.1	I know this life, but I don't know much about how it all works.
0:31.5	Laura, before you started investigating recycling, did you partake in it?
0:35.9	Oh, I grew up recycling.
0:37.7	I mean, we were drawing the recycling symbol, you know, with the three arrows in kindergarten,
0:41.9	taping them all over the school.
0:43.6	And I mean, there were all these contests.
0:45.5	I mean, who could draw the best blue planet with the chasing arrows symbol all over it?
0:50.4	Yeah, this wasn't some instructional PSA.
0:53.4	This was like a lifestyle.
0:54.6	Yes, I can totally picture a little Laura diligently.
0:58.4	And drawing these arrows and following these rules.
1:01.3	As a kid, recycled.
1:02.8	Totally, yeah.
1:03.9	I mean, recycling makes people feel good.
1:05.9	You know, you feel like a responsible steward of the earth.
	...

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