Plastic Wars
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Featured Documentaries
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California Sues ExxonMobil Over Plastic Recycling Claims, Citing FRONTLINE/NPR
The lawsuit cites joint reporting from FRONTLINE and NPR, whose 2020 documentary collaboration 'Plastic Wars' investigated how plastic makers publicly promoted recycling for decades despite privately expressing doubts that widespread plastic recycling would ever be economically viable.
September 24, 2024
Documentaries to Watch for Earth Day
From the truth about plastic recycling, to the decades-long failure to confront the threat of climate change, these documentaries are essential Earth Day viewing — and they're all available to stream online now.
April 21, 2023
California Is Investigating Big Oil for Allegedly Misleading the Public on Recycling
California's attorney general is investigating oil and gas companies for allegedly deceiving the public that most plastic can be recycled, citing NPR and FRONTLINE's investigation of the industry.
April 28, 2022
Watch a Decade of Documentaries on Climate Change & Other Environmental Threats
Ahead of FRONTLINE’s three-part series ‘The Power of Big Oil,’ revisit our reporting on how we reached this moment.
April 12, 2022
The Plastic Industry Is Growing During COVID. Recycling? Not So Much.
Unlike many sectors of the U.S. economy, plastic — an industry examined in the March 2020 documentary "Plastic Wars" — is increasing during COVID. But growth also means more waste in landfills.
February 17, 2021
Taking Office in a Time of Crisis: 16 Documentaries on Key Issues Biden Inherits
These 16 FRONTLINE documentaries offer context on some of the biggest challenges the new administration faces.
January 19, 2021
Big Oil Evaded Regulation And Plastic Pellets Kept Spilling
The oil and plastic industry, which makes plastic pellets, says it has programs in place to prevent any spills. But NPR and FRONTLINE found top officials have known about the problem for decades, even as they successfully fended off regulation that might have kept them in check.
December 22, 2020
Watch 2020’s 10 Most-Streamed FRONTLINE Documentaries
It has been an unparalleled year. Explore the 10 most-streamed FRONTLINE documentaries released during 2020.
December 18, 2020
Waste Land
Recycling plastic has never worked very well. So who convinced us this was a good idea? In this episode, we might have the answer.
September 11, 2020
Companies’ New Pledges to Boost Recycling Face Old Pitfalls
Facing a public outcry over the plastic pollution crisis, some of the world’s biggest consumer brand companies have promised to dramatically boost recycling. Yet some of those same companies have made — and failed to deliver on — similar promises in the past.
March 31, 2020
When Does Recycling Your Plastic Make Sense? The Answer Isn’t So Simple
The vast majority of plastic — about 76 percent — ends up in landfills. Here's what to do about yours.
March 31, 2020
Plastics Industry Insiders Reveal the Truth About Recycling
They never believed it would actually solve the plastic waste problem. Today, it’s estimated that no more than 10 percent of plastic produced has ever been recycled.
March 31, 2020