The world’s leading buyer of recyclables, China, adopted tighter standards for what kinds of recycled materials they will accept at the beginning of the year. We learn how these new rules affect Wisconsin and nationwide waste management companies. In light of a recent lawsuit filed against LaCroix’s parent company, we talk about what it means when food and beverage companies label something as “natural” and what that should mean to consumers.
Featured in this Show
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China’s New Recycling Standards Could Impact Wisconsin’s Waste Industry
China is the world’s leading buyer of recyclables. The country adopted an anti-pollution program this year, whereas they will not accept recycled materials that are not 99.5% pure, a difficult standard to meet for America’s single-stream recycling plants. We discuss how China’s new policies are impacting the recycling industry in the United States and Wisconsin.
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A class action lawsuit filed against La Croix’s parent company claims that the carbonated water isn’t as natural as its labeling suggests. We zoom out to consider how the U.S. Food and Drug Administration views the term “natural,” and how tightly it controls — or doesn’t control — the word’s use on food labels. We also explore how it affects consumer behavior.
Episode Credits
- John Munson Host
- Jana Rose Schleis Producer
- Laura Pavin Producer
- Sarah Hopefl Technical Director
- Chris Miller Guest
- Michael Reese Guest
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