9 Investigates: Plastic bags recycled in Central Florida found around the world
The fight to reduce plastic waste may not be delivered as promised, with plastic bags dropped off at grocery stores across the area to be recycled, instead ending up in landfills or in at least two cases halfway around the world in Malaysia.
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In February of 2023, Nine Investigates partnering with ABC stations across the country deployed dozens of Apple air tag trackers at stores across the nation. Nine Investigates glued eight trackers inside separate bundles of plastic bags and then dropped them off at different stores in marked plastic recycling bins.
Now, more than a year later two of those trackers have surfaced in Malaysia in a region known for plastic waste.
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Nine Investigates deployed one tracker at a Walmart in Volusia County. The other was deployed at a Sprouts grocery store in Seminole County. Both ended up in Asia.
“The US is part of the problem, our recycling rates are atrocious,” said US Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy & Environment Jose Fernandez in an interview with ABC News. “We are working to be part of the solution you have to focus on the full lifecycle, of the plastics.”
When reached for comment, Sprouts told Nine Investigates it was unable to provide an answer before publication.
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Walmart issued a statement to ABC News:
“We strive to do the right thing, and while our bag recycling program isn’t perfect, it does provide access to recycling for millions of customers across the country. The companies we contract with report that the overwhelming majority of the mixed recycling materials we provide (including thousands of tons of plastic bags) are fit to be recycled and by contract sent on for that purpose, though contaminated materials cannot be recycled (for example, ABC’s trackers could themselves be considered bag contaminants). We have high expectations of the companies we contract with and are committed to continuously improving our recycling and waste reduction programs. For example, last year we negotiated enhanced contracts that explicitly require these companies to ensure and prove that eligible materials collected through our program are recycled to the maximum extent practicable.”
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