Trashopolis S02 E03: Tokyo

In Tokyo, one of the most modern, prosperous and densely populated cities in the world, waste has become a natural resource, helping the city grow bigger and cleaner every day.

Why you're recycling wrong

People try to recycle everything. Waste management workers routinely find bowling balls, batteries, Christmas lights, animal carcasses, even dirty diapers. In 2018, about 25% of items that Americans tried to recycle were actually non-recyclable trash, known as "contamination." The more contamination that enters recycling plants, the more likely a waste management company will simply send the entire haul, including items that could be recycled, to a landfill.

Takeout creates a lot of trash. It doesn't have to.