EIGHT MILLION: Is burning waste China’s quick solution to ocean plastics?

China is trying to find the solutions to its immense waste crisis. According to World Bank numbers, the country is currently dealing with 200 million tonnes of garbage a year. Landfills are crammed and a burden to their surrounding communities. To solve this, China is building more waste-to-energy plants than the rest of the world combined. But is this the right direction?

Guests:

Jennifer Turner, Woodrow Wilson Center

Doug Woodring, Ocean Recovery Alliance

Nickolas J. Themelis, Waste-to-Energy Research and Technology Council

Christine Loh, HKUST and Civic Exchange

Mao Da, Rock Environment and Energy Institute

Credits:

Producer and Host: Marcy Trent Long 

Co-Producer: Sam Colombie

Sound Engineer: Chris Wood

Teaching Guide for Educators here