We’ve all been taught recycling is a sustainable way each of us can make a difference. But the truth is that the plastics industry paid millions to push this message--and to sell more plastic. Here's the dark truth and how it's led to some serious consequences.<br /><br />Plastic industry officials long knew that recycling plastic on a large scale was unlikely to ever be economically viable. In fact, only 9% of all plastic ever created has been recycled. So where does all this plastic end up? <br /><br />While the U.S. is the world’s biggest plastic polluter, all of this waste is exported to Southeast Asian countries. We desperately need better recycling infrastructures set up locally than relying on dumping our waste in developing nations. And we need to be advocating for lasting solutions to the plastic problem because our waste is our problem.<br /><br />Host <br />Sophia Li<br /><br />Producer<br />Stephanie Tangkilisan<br />Sophia Li<br /><br />Associate Producer<br />Manal Ahmed<br /><br />Researcher and Writer<br />Sophia Li<br /><br />Additional Researcher <br />Manal Ahmed<br /><br />Director of Photography<br />Alison Boya Sun<br /><br />Editor<br />Alan Pun<br /><br />Post Production Coordinator<br />Skolastika Lupitawina<br /><br />Editor-in-Chief<br />Keshia Hannam<br /><br />Head of Production<br />Stephanie Tangkilisan<br /><br />Animator<br />Alan Pun<br /><br />Graphic Design<br />Samuel Kang<br />Fitra Pratama<br />Annie Zhao<br /><br />Additional Archival Material<br />Getty Images<br />DW Planet A<br />MBARI<br />Derek Dahlsad<br />smartestworkers<br />Matt & Jonny<br />Insider Business<br />VICE News<br />National Geographic<br />Asumsi<br />DW News<br />VDI Zentrum Ressourceneffizienz<br />The Leatherback Trust<br />Insurance TV Ads<br />Oceana<br /><br />Additional Music<br />Symphonic Collective - Mosaic Factories<br />Ballian De Moulle - Waiting for the Answer<br />Big Score Audio - Searching for Solutions
