New screenings of The King of Trash spotlight California Waste Solutions' rise

Bay Area screenings of The King of Trash are putting David Duong’s refugee-to-business story back in the spotlight as the documentary traces how California Waste Solutions grew from bottle collecting in San Francisco into a major recycling operator. The film arrives as new Bay Area dates draw strong interest and the project heads to a Utah film festival.

Why it matters: - The King of Trash turns a recycling company origin story into a broader look at refugee survival, immigrant work and how a family business scaled into major waste infrastructure. - The film highlights how California Waste Solutions became a large player in Oakland and San José, while Vietnam Waste Solutions extended the family’s waste operations back to Vietnam. - The Bay Area screenings land in communities with deep Vietnamese American ties, making the story especially personal for many viewers.

What happened: - The King of Trash is returning to the Bay Area for new public screenings. - The feature documentary follows David Duong, founder and CEO of California Waste Solutions, and the Duong family’s path from Saigon to San Francisco to Oakland. - The film was directed by Oscar-winning cinematographer Errol Webber. - The production was also selected for the 2026 Red Rock Film Festival in Utah. - More than 5,000 people attended the film’s eight-city U.S. pre-screening tour last year. - Nearly 1,000 people have registered or joined waiting lists for the current Bay Area screenings.

The details: - In April 1975, as Saigon fell, David Duong led 23 family members onto a small boat and fled by sea. - The family had lost its paper-recycling business in South Vietnam. - Duong’s father, Jim Thu Tai Duong, was known in Vietnam as Vua Rác, or “the King of Trash.” - After months in a refugee camp in Mandaluyong, Philippines, the family arrived in the United States in 1979. - The family lived in one apartment with 17 people and no money. - At night, the family collected bottles and cardboard from San Francisco streets. - In 1992, David Duong founded California Waste Solutions in Oakland with eight used trucks. - California Waste Solutions now serves more than 343,000 customers across Oakland and San José. - The company operates six Bay Area recycling facilities. - The Oakland operation processes about 1,000 tons of material a week. - The San José operation processes about 1,300 tons a week. - Across its history, the company has managed more than three million tons of material. - The company processes more than 717,000 tons annually. - The first Oakland franchise arrived in 1993. - The company later expanded into San José and built out collection, processing, customer service and recovered-commodities marketing. - A May 2026 California Waste Solutions briefing described the daily work behind recycling operations, including pre-dawn inspections, route checks, equipment reviews, facility coordination and mechanic support. - Michael Duong, president of California Waste Solutions, said recycling only feels simple because of constant coordination, preparation and execution. - Family leadership remains central to the company. - Kristina Duong handles financial operations as CFO. - Victor Duong, who started by driving trucks, leads operations and community partnerships. - Michael Duong, David Duong’s son, is now president. - Vietnam Waste Solutions developed the Da Phuoc Integrated Waste Management Facility and the Long An Green Environmental Technology Park. - Vietnam Waste Solutions manages up to 7,500 tons of waste a day in the Ho Chi Minh City region. - The Vietnam operations introduced landfill engineering, leachate treatment and environmental monitoring at scale. - The family’s community work includes a $5 million Fulbright-affiliated scholarship initiative, support for cancer patients, more than $46,000 for Vietnamese language and cultural schools, more than $105,000 in aid after Typhoon Yagi and support for the Oakland Dynamites youth program. - The film also includes direct quotes from David Duong and Errol Webber about resilience, faith and the meaning of the American Dream.

Between the lines: - The documentary is framed less as a corporate success story and more as a story about labor, continuity and the hidden systems that keep recycling running every day. - The film also links the Duong family’s business growth to a larger immigrant narrative: rebuilding from loss, then reinvesting in both the Bay Area and Vietnam. - The screening push appears designed to connect the story to Vietnamese American audiences who may see their own family history reflected on screen.

What’s next: - Upcoming Bay Area screenings are set for Dublin on Sept. 19, 2026; San Jose on Sept. 26, 2026; and Emeryville on Oct. 3, 2026. - David Duong, cast members and director Errol Webber are expected to attend the San Jose VIP pre-screening. - The film will screen at the Red Rock Film Festival in Utah on Sept. 25, 2026. - More information and RSVP details are available here.

The bottom line: - The King of Trash uses one family’s rise to show how recycling, immigration and entrepreneurship can reshape both a business and a community.