How Reuters used AirTags to reveal Dow’s false recycling promises

We’ve seen numerous intelligent use circumstances of Apple’s AirTag merchandise trackers, however nothing fairly like this one. As a part of an investigative report into recycling practices of Dow Inc. and the Singapore authorities, a Reuters reporter planted hidden AirTags into 11 pairs of donated footwear.

“Dow said it was recycling our shoes. We found them at an Indonesian flea market,” the headline of the ensuing story reads.

Dow Inc., one of many world’s largest chemical producers, stated it was “transforming old sneakers into playgrounds and running tracks” as a part of a recycling initiative in Singapore. As Reuters explains, nevertheless, the corporate had beforehand “launched recycling efforts that have fallen short of their stated aims.”

Dow, a significant producer of chemical compounds used to make plastics and different artificial supplies, up to now has launched recycling efforts which have fallen in need of their said goals. Reuters wished to observe a donated shoe from begin to end to see if it did, in reality, find yourself in new athletic surfaces in Singapore, or no less than made it so far as an area recycling facility for shredding.

To examine the legitimacy of Dow’s newest recycling claims, Reuters journalists planted a hidden AirTag into 11 pairs of footwear and donated these footwear to the corporate. The reporters then monitored the placement of the footwear through the Find My app, watching them journey by means of Singapore and into Indonesia.

“None of the 11 pairs of footwear donated by Reuters were turned into exercise paths or kids’ parks in Singapore,” the report says. The last vacation spot various from pair to pair, however not one of the footwear had been used as Dow had promised.

The full report is fascinating and gives extra particulars concerning the investigation’s outcomes. The thought to use AirTags on this investigation was extremely intelligent and exhibits the flexibility of Apple’s merchandise tracker.