Environmental lawyer Steven Feit reveals that plastics are the petroleum industry’s growth strategy in the 21st century, even as the world moves away from fossil fuels as an energy source.

Sarah Jeanne Royer, an oceanographer, shows the damage microplastics are doing to the coasts of Hawaii.

Sharon Lavigne, a retired teacher, fights against pollution and environmental racism in her city, which is home to some of the largest plastic production facilities in the US.

The film also follows a photojournalist raising awareness about the problems being caused by single-use plastics in his native Kenya, and lobbyists who aim to convince the industry’s critics that new recycling technologies will make a difference.

And one Hamburg-based chemist and inventor has suggestions for how we could solve the world’s plastics problem once and for all.

Is the plastics industry listening? Can people trust it to take responsibility for plastic products after the end of their life cycle? And what solutions are there in a world that is increasingly choking on plastic?

 

Broadcasting Hours: 

DW English

Part 1 

TUE 21.10.2025 – 01:15 UTC
TUE 21.10.2025 – 04:15 UTC
WED 22.10.2025 – 09:15 UTC
WED 22.10.2025 – 16:15 UTC
WED 22.10.2025 – 21:15 UTC
THU 23.10.2025 – 12:15 UTC
SAT 25.10.2025 – 08:15 UTC
SUN 26.10.2025 – 13:15 UTC

Lagos UTC +1 | Cape Town UTC +2 | Nairobi UTC +3
Delhi UTC +5,5 | Bangkok UTC +7 | Hong Kong UTC +8
London UTC +1 | Berlin UTC +2 | Moscow UTC +3
San Francisco UTC -7 | Edmonton UTC -6 | New York UTC -4
From October 26:
London UTC +/-0 | Berlin UTC +1 | Moscow UTC +3

Part 2 

TUE 28.10.2025 – 01:15 UTC
TUE 28.10.2025 – 04:15 UTC
WED 29.10.2025 – 09:15 UTC
WED 29.10.2025 – 16:15 UTC
WED 29.10.2025 – 21:15 UTC
THU 30.10.2025 – 12:15 UTC
SAT 01.11.2025 – 08:15 UTC
SUN 02.11.2025 – 13:15 UTC

Lagos UTC +1 | Cape Town UTC +2 | Nairobi UTC +3
Delhi UTC +5,5 | Bangkok UTC +7 | Hong Kong UTC +8
London UTC +/-0 | Berlin UTC +1 | Moscow UTC +3
San Francisco UTC -7 | Edmonton UTC -6 | New York UTC -4
From November 02:
San Francisco UTC -8 | Edmonton UTC -7 | New York UTC -5