A recent investigation by Inside Climate News and CBS has uncovered a shocking truth about the city’s recycling program. An environmental activist, Brandy Deason, secretly placed a GPS tracker in her plastic recycling to follow its journey. The results were far from reassuring.
Deason dropped off plastic waste at one of the city’s new recycling drop-off sites, operated by the Houston Recycling Collaboration. The public-private partnership, launched with Exxon’s support, claimed it could chemically recycle any type of plastic. However, the investigation revealed that this advanced process remains unimplemented.
The sorting plant designed for this process is still under construction and won’t be operational until next year. In the meantime, tagged plastic bags ended up at Wright Waste Management, a remote landfill located 20 miles outside of Houston.
Deason, who is actively reducing her plastic consumption, was appalled to discover where her unavoidable plastic waste ended up. She expressed concerns about the potential health risks associated with a fire at the landfill.
This investigation highlights the deceptive nature of the Houston Recycling Collaboration’s claims. While the city promotes its recycling efforts, the reality is that much of the plastic waste is simply being dumped into a landfill. It is imperative that the city take immediate action to address this issue and ensure that its program is truly effective.
Reference- Inside Climate News and CBS Investigative report, Futurism