American Dream: The Journey Of David Duong
- Metaintels LLC
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 7 hours ago
The King of Trash Showcases the Vision and Leadership of a Global Sustainability Pioneer.
OAKLAND, CA – In one of the most striking scenes from The King of Trash, the ocean stretches endlessly beneath a rising sun. A man looks out at the horizon, his voice calm and grounded. “We almost died out there in the ocean,” he says. “We had only one choice: survive.” Moments later, the screen cuts to the sound of machinery, conveyor belts, and bright light reflecting off metal and glass. The same man, decades later, walks through a recycling facility in Oakland, turning discarded materials into something new.
That man is David Duong, President, and CEO of California Waste Solutions (CWS) and founder of Vietnam Waste Solutions (VWS). His journey, brought to life in The King of Trash directed by Oscar-winning cinematographer Errol Webber, is not only a story of endurance but of vision, a modern portrait of leadership that transforms adversity into innovation and success into service.
David Duong has spent more than three decades redefining what it means to lead with purpose. Through California Waste Solutions, founded in 1992, he built one of the nation’s most respected family-owned environmental enterprises, serving hundreds of thousands of households across Oakland and San Jose. What began with eight used trucks and a dream grew into a model for sustainable urban recycling. Under his leadership, CWS became an early advocate for circular economy principles, integrating cutting-edge sorting technologies, clean fleet systems, and community recycling programs long before sustainability became a corporate buzzword.
“Recycling is not just about materials,” David says. “It’s about mindset. It’s about understanding that nothing, not people, not opportunities, not our planet, should ever be wasted.”
That mindset guided him across continents. In the early 2000s, he returned to Vietnam to establish Vietnam Waste Solutions (VWS), introducing modern environmental management systems that have transformed how cities handle waste and energy. His vision was never just about building infrastructure; it was about building futures.
Through VWS, David led the creation of the Da Phuoc Integrated Waste Management Facility in Ho Chi Minh City, the first and largest of its kind in Southeast Asia. The project brought advanced recycling and environmental technology to Vietnam, created thousands of jobs, and set a new standard for responsible waste management in the region. Today, the Duong family continues this work with the Long An Green Environmental Technology Park, a forward-looking initiative focused on waste-to-energy innovation and green growth. Entrusted to VWS by the Vietnamese government, the project remains under review as both sides collaborate to ensure it supports Vietnam’s long-term environmental goals.
What unites these achievements is a single philosophy: that waste, in all its forms, can be transformed into opportunity. In The King of Trash, David reflects on this belief with quiet conviction. “Yes, there’s gold. We found the treasure in those garbage bags.”
Beyond its literal meaning, the quote captures his broader vision. From discarded materials to marginalized people, from overlooked potential to neglected communities, David Duong sees renewal where others see decline. His leadership bridges two nations, connecting American entrepreneurship with Vietnamese resilience, and proving that progress and compassion can coexist.
At the heart of David’s leadership lies a deep sense of gratitude, to his family, his employees, his community, and the countries that shaped his journey. His success, he insists, is not measured in scale but in service. “Leadership is not about power,” he says. “It’s about care. It’s about building something that lasts and leaves others stronger.”
That philosophy defines the culture within both CWS and VWS. His teams describe him as a leader who listens, who walks the line with his workers, and who views every employee as part of a shared mission. Many have been with the company for decades, growing alongside its vision of environmental stewardship and community empowerment. Through scholarships, mentorship programs, and sustainability education, David’s companies continue to invest in future generations, ensuring that the story of renewal doesn’t end with him.
The King of Trash brings this journey to the screen with both intimacy and scope. Filmed across California and Vietnam, it captures not only the milestones of David Duong’s career but the human values behind them, humility, faith, and perseverance. Director Errol Webber describes the film as “a story about transformation, of people, of purpose, and of the world around us.” Through stunning visuals and candid interviews, the documentary reveals the man behind the mission: a leader who believes that success is not about accumulation, but about what we give back.
For David Duong, the American Dream was never about escaping the past; it was about building the future. From collecting recyclables on the streets of Oakland to developing sustainable cities in Vietnam, his journey reflects a powerful truth: that innovation, when guided by gratitude, can connect nations and generations.
“The American Dream is not what you gain,” he says in the film. “It’s what you return, to your family, your community, and to the world that gave you a chance.”
In a time defined by global challenges, from climate change to social division, The King of Trash reminds audiences that true leadership begins with empathy, endures through integrity, and thrives through service. David Duong’s story is not just about turning waste into opportunity. It’s about turning opportunity into hope.
ABOUT THE FILMThe King of Trash is a feature-length documentary directed by Errol Webber and filmed across Vietnam and California. The film tells the extraordinary true story of David Duong and his family, whose courage, innovation, and gratitude transformed the way communities think about sustainability and the American Dream.
Directed by: Errol Webber
Produced by: Errol Webber and Bobby Vu
Featuring: David Duong, Kristina Duong, Victor Duong
Executive Producers: Linda H. Duong, Phuong Lan Huynh
Filming Locations: Vietnam and California
Running Time: 72 minutes
Genre: Documentary / Biography / Human Story
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