Texas: AirTags expose fake recycling
Apple's Bluetooth trackers have often been used to uncover thefts. In Houston, AirTags have now been used to solve a special case.
Apple's AirTags: Not only good for finding lost items.
(Image: tre / Mac & i)
Is plastic waste actually recycled or does it just end up in a landfill, perhaps to be exported abroad? This specific question was asked by a citizen of the Texan city of Houston, who found it strange that the local government had set up an "All Plastics Accepted" recycling program. According to the city employee, you can now drop off any form of plastic, even those that are not normally recyclable. Brandy Deason, who is usually one of the most diligent recyclers in her neighborhood, wanted to find out more and used a special device: the Bluetooth and ultra-wideband tracker AirTag from Apple. The candy-shaped devices now cost less than 30 US dollars in the USA and are known to have helped solve numerous crimes and other misdeeds in the past.
AirTags lead to a collection warehouse
In her detective project, Deason simply hid several trackers in her plastic waste and then observed where it was taken. As the citizen told CBS News, almost all of the plastic collections ended up at a company just 30 kilometers from downtown Houston. And as it turned out, nothing was done with the waste: the company, a waste disposal firm, simply left the plastic on its premises – without a roof.
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This is said to have gone on for up to a year and a half. The "New Frontier in Recycling", as the city of Houston and its business partners, including the oil company ExxonMobil, call the project, apparently only creates a fire risk. According to CBS News, inspections by the fire department are said to have failed three times and an official storage permit is still missing.
Plastic James Bond with Bluetooth tracker
In the meantime, Houston City Council has also admitted that no recycling is taking place. Over 250 tons have been collected since the end of 2022. "We'll store it for now and then see what happens," says the city manager responsible for solid waste.
Deason, for her part, is pleased to have solved the case. She herself is active in an association that campaigns for better air in Houston and has already fought against plants that discharged too many emissions during chemical recycling. The CBS News reporter called her the "James Bond of plastics recycling" in the TV report. She was "a kind of plastic spy". Desason responded with a grin: "Yeah, I feel a little bit like that too."
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