Does this viral video show the production of wheat from plastic? Fact Check

A viral video allegedly shows wheat being produced from plastic. The 1: 15 minute long video shows workers dumping used plastic in a factory from where the plastic is broken down into smaller pieces, washed multiple times, threaded into plastic threads, and then crushed to form what looks like brown grains of wheat. The video is being shared widely on WhatsApp.

Digiteye India received a request to fact-check this viral video on WhatsApp.

FACT CHECK

The Digiteye India team could spot a watermark on the centre bottom throughout the video. The watermark read – Smartest Workers. We used this clue and conducted a keyword search on Google. The results led us to the YouTube page of Smartest Workers where we found the viral video.

The viral video was published on September 24, 2023, and it was titled – Plastic’s New Purpose: Unveiling the Recycling Journey.

The video posted by Smartest Workers was the one which is being shared widely on social media.

We used these hints to figure out what the end product of this plastic recycling venture actually is. In one of the videos where a similar process is being followed, the video mentions that the end product is Plastic LLDPE, i.e., Linear low-density polyethylene. These products are basically plastic pellets which are then used in multiple industries, such as making plastic bottles, automobiles, consumer goods, etc to name a few.

We found another video where the same process is used to manufacture plastic pellets that would be used in the automobile industry. The Digiteye India team talked to Nirupam Agarwal, a trader based in Ujjain, who confirmed that these pellets in the viral video are not rice or wheat grains. “These pellets are recycled plastic that will be used in industries and not for human consumption,” said Agarwal.

The claim is, thus, false.

CLAIM: A viral video shows a factory manufacturing wheat grains out of plastic.

CONCLUSION: The viral video shows a manufacturing company where plastic is recycled. The plastic is broken down into smaller pieces, washed, threaded into a thread, and then crushed to form small pellets. These pellets are used in industries and they are not meant for human consumption. They are neither food grains.

RATING: ????? – Totally False