ABC News tracked dozens of plastic bags placed in retailers' recycling bins as part of an investigation into the effectiveness of America’s recycling streams.
ABC News and ABC stations assembled bundles of recyclable plastic bags, each containing a metal tracking device super glued inside, then wrapped in several layers of bags, to determine if they are recycled.For more than a decade, Courtney Williams and her family have lived in the shadow of the Wheelabrator waste-to-energy incinerator, located along the Hudson River in Peekskill, New York.
"My biggest regret is buying this house and moving to this community because I worry what risk I put my children in," Williams said, alluding to recent state health reports showing Peekskill has higher asthma rates and hospitalizations than the rest of the state and surrounding Westchester County. Plastic is difficult and expensive to recycle to begin with and bags are even more so because they can get ensnared in equipment at most recycling centers – causing costly delays.
The trackers were super glued and wrapped inside multiple layers of clean plastic bags. ABC News checked every location the trackers pinged from on their journey and determined that they likely did not encounter plastic bag sorting en route that could have potentially separated a tracker from a bag. "It's the Wild West of exporting plastics, and it's causing real damage, particularly in Indonesia and Malaysia, and other countries that have not entirely closed their doors to plastic imports," Enck said.
"We made a commitment a handful of years ago that says, "100% of the plastic packaging we make by 2030 will be recyclable or recoverable," Baca said. "We're putting our money where our mouth is," he added, claiming the council has invested $8 billion to date on various types of recycling technologies.The tracker result is no surprise to those familiar with the plastic recycling industry.
"Walmart offers in-store recycling bins for plastic bags as an option for customers who may not have access to curbside recycling. We are also pursuing initiatives to reduce the use of single-use plastic including plastic bags, and working with policy makers, waste management companies, non-profits and other retailers to reduce demand for single-use plastic bags.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
House Republicans reach agreement on debt ceiling, ABC News sources confirmBREAKING: House Republicans have reached an agreement to raise the nation's debt limit in principle with the White House, sources tell ABC News.
Read more »
House Republicans, White House reach deal in principle to raise debt limit, sources tell ABC NewsHouse Republicans have reached an agreement to raise the nation's debt limit in principle with the White House, sources tell ABC News.
Read more »
House Republicans, White House reach deal in principle to raise debt limit, sources tell ABC NewsHouse Republicans have reached an agreement to raise the nation's debt limit in principle with the White House, sources tell ABC News.
Read more »
House Republicans, White House reach deal in principle to raise debt limit, sources tell ABC NewsHouse Republicans have reached an agreement to raise the nation's debt limit in principle with the White House, sources tell ABC News.
Read more »
House Republicans, White House reach deal in principle to raise debt limit, sources tell ABC NewsBREAKINGNEWS: House Republicans have reached an agreement to raise the nation's debt limit in principle with the White House, sources tell ABC News.
Read more »
House Republicans, White House reach deal in principle to raise debt limit, sources tell ABC NewsHouse Republicans have reached an agreement to raise the nation's debt limit in principle with the White House, sources tell ABC News.
Read more »