How Much Is Your Rubbish Worth?
Ruth Alexander finds out who makes money out of what we throw away. On the trail of our recycling, she discovers a multi-billion dollar industry that is global, and in turmoil.
When you throw away rubbish, it can create an environmental problem 鈥� or a business opportunity.
Your old newspapers, tin cans and plastic bottles are someone else鈥檚 valuable harvest. Just like gold, steel, sugar or coffee, rubbish is traded all over the world as a commodity. If it can be recycled, it鈥檚 worth money.
Until recently, countries vied to recycle the waste of others. But now one of the main players - China - says it doesn鈥檛 want foreign rubbish anymore. That has sent this multi-billion dollar industry into turmoil and is forcing it to invent new solutions.
Presenter: Ruth Alexander
Producer: Tony Bonsignore
Image: Getty
Last on
Broadcasts
- Sat 21 Jul 2018 02:06GMT成人论坛 World Service except Americas and the Caribbean, East and Southern Africa, News Internet & West and Central Africa
- Sat 21 Jul 2018 07:32GMT成人论坛 World Service except News Internet
- Sat 21 Jul 2018 22:32GMT成人论坛 World Service except News Internet
- Sun 22 Jul 2018 02:06GMT成人论坛 World Service East and Southern Africa, Americas and the Caribbean & West and Central Africa only
Advice For Entrepreneurs
What is the one piece of advice successful global entrepreneurs would offer?
Download this programme
Subscribe to this programme or download individual episodes.