A troubling report was released today about the vast number of men, women, and children who are forced to spend their days sifting through trash looking for valuable recyclables. The U.N. claims that over 3 million people are made to harvest plastics, metals, and other raw materials by so-called “Recycling Cartels”. According to the report, the huge drop in oil prices and other global-economic disruptions have created an environment conducive to the cartel’s operations. They estimate that the number of forced laborers will grow to 5 million within the next 10 years.
While the authors were careful not to focus on any underlying blame, that has not stopped many in the media from doing so. Veilwatch founder Tim Durney says it’s clear who is to blame for the issue, Veilcorp. Durney says that the problem began in 2039 when 182 countries signed the Gateway Travel Accord, making veil transportation legal and easy worldwide.
He says that the world was not ready for the economic realities of having a ultra-cheap workforce available in any country and the ensuing collapse of transportation sectors. With so many people out of work or displaced, Durney contends that it was inevitable that bad-actors would exploit the impoverished and fill the void left by failed governments.
“The truth of the matter is that mankind was not ready for the box Veilcorp opened when they unleashed this dangerous technology. The problem started when they signed the GTA. We saw massive protests, numerous failed states across the globe, and wars. Not content with that, Oeming started his Icarus project and solar production of 127 began. It was like adding a supercharger to Veilcorp’s engine of destruction. Now we find out that millions of people have to pick through trash just so they have access to food and shelter. These cartels used to make their money doing terrible things: human trafficking, gun running, drugs, you name it, and now thanks to Veilcorp, forcing people to sort through garbage pays better,”
Durney says.
Former U.S. Secretary of State Patrick Swalwell, who signed the Gateway Travel Accord, disagrees. He says that every new technology causes a period of uncertainty. Swalwell maintains that the extraordinary nature of veil technology may be causing a larger ripple than normal, but in the end, economies will adapt. “The reality is that unfortunately right now there are places where gathering recyclable materials is economically feasible. I think these groups are deplorable but I disagree with the U.N. report. I believe in history, and history has shown that issues like this will reset and resolve themselves after a period of transition.”
Durney counters, “This is the same song and dance we’ve heard again and again. They say that the only way to fix things is to let the chaos run its course. The only way we can learn how to use this technology is to let terrible things happen. But we have to ask ourselves, were we ready for this? Are we really ready for a leap this big? I believe the answer is clearly, no!. You wouldn’t give a room full of toddlers guns and say that some are just going to have to shoot themselves until they learn how to use them responsibly.”
Veilcorp spokesperson Lisa Hunt says she finds the report troubling, but pushes back against claims that the company is responsible. Hunt says that the company has strict guidelines about what sorts of materials can be transported and follows all applicable laws in the areas the corporation does business in. She contends that Durney’s allegations are grandstanding and nothing new.
To claims that the company should take the lead in addressing the cartel problem, she says,
“We are not the world’s hall monitors or the global morality police. We are a company that transports goods and people across the globe in a safe and enjoyable manner. That’s it. Blaming Veilcorp for failed states and what amounts to slavery is absurd. I don’t recall hearing about steel manufacturers being blamed for the world’s knife attacks. I wish all this outrage, both real and manufactured, would be directed where it belongs, at the cartels and governments that allow this inhumane practice to continue. We could demand the expansion of recycling facilities to help cut the money out of this barbaric practice. Governments could work to restore order in the areas where the cartels operate and give these people a chance at a better life by finding jobs. I happen to know a company that is pretty good at helping people get to work everyday. Let’s start blaming the people who actually robbed the bank and not the people who made the car they got away in.”
