Topic: Recycling Industry

PBS NewsHour launches a series titled "The Plastic Problem," highlighting the accumulation of 9 billion metric tons of plastic since 1950. The hosts criticize the alarmist tone of the reporting, specifically a claim that plastic waste will persist for hundreds of thousands of years. They speculate that the glass industry may be funding anti-plastic sentiment to regain market share.

The second donation segment features numerous Mother's Day tributes from listeners. The discussion shifts to the Kilauea volcano eruption in Hawaii, noting the media's lack of interest unless a political angle can be found. Other news items include the collapse of the U.S. recycling industry due to China's refusal of scrap materials and a horrific report of sexual violence and murder in Jharkhand, India.