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Confused about recycling? It’s not your fault - Shannon Odell

296,608 Views

3,578 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

If you’ve ever looked at the bottom of a disposable bottle or cup, you’ve probably noticed a recycling symbol. Seeing this, many people assume the item should be put in a recycling bin. Yet many plastics are incapable of being recycled at most centers. In fact, only 9% is recycled each year. So why are so few plastics recycled? And what do these symbols actually mean? Shannon Odell investigates.

WatchThink Dig Deeper Discuss
About 18% of plastic is made up of _________________. These are plastics whose molecules are tightly woven together, making them very difficult to break down.

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Meet The Creators

  • Script Writer Shannon Odell
  • Director Yuval Haker, Alon Sivan
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Animator Alon Sivan, Yuval Haker, Dana Roth, Pavelas Laptevas, John McColgan
  • Music Dana Roth
  • Sound Designer Dana Roth
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Producer Sazia Afrin
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Editorial Producer Shannon Odell
  • Expert Consultant Rebecca Altman