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Plastic recycling鈥檚 dirty secrets

Malaysia has become a global hub for plastic waste imports and recycling. But how safe is the trade?

An estimated five million tonnes of plastic waste is exported each year, with the majority coming from 10 high-income countries.

Malaysia has become a global hub for plastic waste imports and recycling. But how clean and safe is the recycling trade and how much plastic can actually be recycled?

For Assignment, Leana Hosea travels to Malaysia to meet those who are risking their lives to stem the tide of foreign plastic waste. She tracks unfolding research into microplastics and people鈥檚 health, and gains access inside recycling factories to reveal the dirty truth behind the trade.

Presented and produced by Leana Hosea
Mixed by Neil Churchill
Production coordinator: Gemma Ashman
Series editor: Penny Murphy

(Image: Mishan suffers from severe asthma, which he blames on the burning of plastic waste. Credit: Leana Hosea/大象传媒).

Available now

27 minutes

Last on

Sun 24 Nov 2024 16:06GMT

Broadcasts

  • Tue 19 Nov 2024 02:32GMT
  • Tue 19 Nov 2024 09:32GMT
  • Tue 19 Nov 2024 20:06GMT
  • Tue 19 Nov 2024 21:06GMT
  • Sat 23 Nov 2024 23:32GMT
  • Sun 24 Nov 2024 12:32GMT
  • Sun 24 Nov 2024 16:06GMT

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