“The King of Trash” Documentary Shares an Extraordinary Story of Survival and the American Dream

OAKLAND, CA, Nov. 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The King of Trash, a feature-length documentary directed by Award-winning filmmaker Errol Webber, captures the extraordinary true story of a Vietnamese family who fled Saigon in 1975 and rebuilt their lives from nothing in the United States. It is a cinematic journey of courage, hope, and the enduring pursuit of the American Dream.

The film tells the remarkable story of Jim Duong Tai Thu, a self-made entrepreneur once known as the “King of Trash” in South Vietnam for transforming discarded materials into opportunity. After the fall of Saigon in 1975, his business, home, and livelihood were seized, forcing the family to flee their homeland with nothing but courage and hope.

After months in refugee camps, the Duong family arrived in San Francisco, sharing a small apartment with 16 relatives and surviving by collecting bottles and cardboard on city streets. Guided by their father’s belief that “there is honor in every kind of honest work,” they slowly began to rebuild.

In 1983, the family founded CoGiDo Paper Corporation, their first recycling business in America, and later established California Waste Solutions (CWS) in 1992. What began with a handful of used trucks has grown into one of the nation’s most respected family-owned recycling and waste management companies, serving hundreds of thousands of households across Oakland and San Jose.

“Their story is not about politics. It’s about progress,” says David Duong, who now leads CWS. “We are not just managing waste; we are creating opportunity, dignity, and hope.”

Filmed across Vietnam and California, The King of Trash blends stunning cinematography, archival footage, and intimate storytelling to showcase a family’s transformation from hardship to hope. The film also highlights their continued commitment to sustainability and community through Vietnam Waste Solutions (VWS).

“This story goes beyond business,” says director Errol Webber. “It’s about migration, resilience, and love, about people who lost everything and still found a way to create light for others.”

The King of Trash will be screened at festivals in the United States and Vietnam later this year. For media inquiries, please contact [email protected]

About the Film
The King of Trash is a 72-minute documentary film produced and directed by Errol Webber, featuring David Duong, Victor Duong, and Kristina Duong, and their father Jim Duong Tai Thu. The film celebrates resilience, sustainability, family, and the enduring promise of the American Dream.