THE JOURNEY
When hope was all they had
In April 1975, as Saigon fell, Duong Tai Thu, known as The King of Trash, led 23 family members onto a small boat and into the unknown. He had lost everything — yet with faith and courage, he chose to risk it all for freedom.
THE STORM
The ocean was endless and unforgiving. Rain pounded the small boat as waves swallowed the horizon, and hunger turned days into silence. In the heart of the storm, faith was all they had. “We almost died out there in the ocean. We had only one choice — survive,” recalls David Duong. When the storm finally broke, dawn revealed not defeat, but the strength to begin again.
A New Beginning in America
In 1979, the Duong family arrives in the United States — strangers in a land of promise. They share one apartment. Seventeen people. No English. No money. Only work.
At night, they collect bottles and cardboard from the streets of San Francisco. By day, they study and dream of stability.
“There is honor in every kind of honest work.”
— Duong Tai Thu
From those long nights came a new beginning. In 1992, David Duong founded California Waste Solutions, turning struggle into opportunity. What began with one truck grew into one of America’s leading recycling companies, built on family, hard work, and gratitude. It wasn’t just business; it was a way to give back to the country that gave them hope.
Turning Waste
Into GOLD
The Duong family turned survival into a mission. What others saw as garbage, they saw as possibility. Every can, every bottle, every piece of cardboard, a chance to create value, to restore balance, to redefine what waste means.
“Recycling is not just about materials. It’s about mindset — that nothing and no one should ever be wasted.”
— David Duong
Watch the Official Trailer
The King of Trash is a feature documentary directed by Oscar-winning cinematographer Errol Webber, telling the extraordinary true story of David Duong and his family, Vietnamese refugees who lost everything after the fall of Saigon and rebuilt their lives from nothing in America.
What began as a fight for survival became a story of vision, resilience, and renewal. From collecting recyclables on San Francisco’s streets to founding California Waste Solutions and Vietnam Waste Solutions, the Duong family transformed loss into purpose and waste into opportunity. This is not just a refugee story. It’s a story about the American Dream, about building bridges between nations, and about finding humanity in what the world throws away.
“We came to this country with nothing but hope. Everything we built came from hard work and faith.”
— David Duong
A Legacy Rebuilt
From those early days in West Oakland, David Duong turned resilience into purpose. What began with a single truck and a dream grew into California Waste Solutions, one of America’s leading recycling and environmental service companies.
Get in Touch
The King of Trash is preparing for its official release and global distribution. We welcome inquiries from media, festivals, and partners interested in screenings or collaborations.
Stay connected for premiere updates and news as the film begins its journey across the world.