When a mystery body of a boy is found in a bale of recycled plastic in Turkey, a team of investigative journalists decide to work out what happened. As they meet eye witnesses and whistleblowers, the story gets more risky. Tensions explode in Istanbul and one of their team is arrested. But they have to know: who was the boy? And how big does this go?
To pursue the truth behind this secret global scandal. Dan and Lucy worked with Adnan R. Khan, as well as Tess Colley and Pippa Neill from Ends Report.
The investigation's result is Boy Wasted, a thrilling 3-part environmental true crime investigation, presented by Dan Ashby and Lucy Taylor, and developed in collaboration with the Ends Report and De Groene Amsterdammer.
On the right: Undocumented Afghan migrants at the recycling facility where they lived and worked in the Cebeci neighbourhood of Istanbul in November 2022. Photograph by Adnan R. Khan.
Below: Image provided by SmokeTrail Productions.
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Comments in the UK:
The Boy Wasted revelations should shock all of us, says Barry Gardiner MP, and member of the Environmental Audit Committee
"This story should spur the UK government on to ... completely ban all plastic waste exports." - Laura Burley, Head of Plastics, Greenpeace UK
"The UK government must urgently consider these finding," said Ellie Chowns, leader of the Parliamentary Green Party.
"I welcome the ENDS Report for highlighting this tragic story." - Baroness Sheehan, Chair of the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee
