Reporters hid tracking devices in shoes that were supposed to be recycled...

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

Reporters hid tracking devices in shoes that were supposed to be recycled, and they ended up at a market in Indonesia instead


In 2021, the US chemical company Dow and Singapore's government promised to transform the rubber from old shoes into playground and running-track surfaces.

That's not what happened to 11 pairs of sneakers in which a team of Reuters reporters hid tracking devices. After dropping the shoes in the program's recycling bins across Singapore, Reuters traced most of the shoes to secondhand markets or remote locations in Indonesia.

The news service concealed Bluetooth trackers in the interior soles of the sneakers and then followed the shoes for months on a smartphone app that showed their movements in real time.

Reuters reported that it wanted to test whether Dow's program was achieving its stated goals because the major plastic maker had fallen short on previous recycling promises. Environmental groups accuse chemical companies like Dow of making false promises about recycling plastic to convince the public that throw-away consumer culture is sustainable, as well as to fend off stricter regulations on items like single-use plastic packaging.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/reporters-hid-tracking-devices-in-shoes-that-were-supposed-to-be-recycled-and-they-ended-up-at-a-market-in-indonesia-instead/ar-AA18c5ZQ

[hedda_foil]

1. Well tehnically, selling used shoes to be used by another person is recycling the shoes.