Talking Rubbish - The Recycling Podcast

114. How Norway gets 98% of its bottles and cans back

Norway gets around 98% of its bottles and cans back, so what makes its deposit return scheme work so well? This week, we unpack a system that is technically voluntary, ye

113. Why can't we just make deposit return digital?

What if you could get your 20p deposit back without ever leaving the house? This week, we explore digital deposit return and why the seemingly simple idea of scanning a b

112. Why the UK Deposit Return Scheme is free for brands

Why might the UK’s Deposit Return Scheme be free for drinks brands for its first 15 months? We dig into the surprising finances behind DRS, from producer fees and the val

111. When does a Deposit Return Scheme become a tax?

Deposit return schemes can deliver impressive recycling rates. With that in mind, what can we learn from countries already using them? Following a trip to Ireland, James

110. Have we been talking about the environment all wrong? With Lucy Siegle

How do you talk about environmental issues without preaching, oversimplifying or making people feel powerless? In this episode, we are joined by environmental journalist

109. Why recycling labels are about to get more confusing

Recycling labels are about to change, but will they actually make recycling easier? In this episode, we look at the EU’s plans for harmonised packaging labels, including

108. Why are we sending so much plastic to Turkey?

The UK is sending huge amounts of plastic waste to Turkey, but what actually happens to it when it gets there? We dig into the numbers behind the headlines to find out wh

107. Why our bins keep catching fire

Fires at waste and recycling sites are becoming increasingly common, with batteries, vapes and gas canisters ending up where they shouldn’t. In this episode, we look at w

106. Why your fridge is making you waste food

Could your fridge actually be causing food waste? This week, we explore the psychology behind the modern fridge, why bigger shelves and hidden drawers can encourage us to

105. The free food app rescuing millions of meals, with Tessa Clarke from Olio

Food waste is one of the biggest environmental challenges we rarely talk about, with the average UK household throwing away around £1,000 worth of perfectly good food eve

104. Why flexible plastic might never be recycled

In 2022, the Government committed to introducing kerbside collections for flexible plastics by 2027. Last week, that deadline was pushed back to 2030, a decision that has

103. PFAS - what you need to know about forever chemicals

Forever chemicals have become a major focus in the media, with growing concern about PFAS turning up in our food, drinking water, and everyday products. But how much of t

102. Greenwashing exposed - what Adidas, Uniqlo and Calvin Klein got wrong

Last month Adidas, Uniqlo, and Calvin Klein all came under scrutiny for making misleading environmental claims. What did they actually say and what do these cases reveal

101. PPWR - why packaging will never be the same

From August 2026, the packaging industry enters a new era with the rollout of the PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation). In this episode, we break down what the

100 episodes later...still Talking Rubbish

We’ve made it to Episode 100! Reaching this milestone gave us a chance to pause and reflect on the journey so far. Joined by a live online audience for the recording, we

99. Why cartons aren't being recycled

Cartons are a staple of everyday life, but they're far more complicated than they appear. Made from layers of paper, plastic and sometimes aluminium, they're de

98. Should we ban ‘plastic-free’ packaging?

“Plastic-free” has become a powerful marketing claim, but is it always accurate? Following the EU’s formal definition of plastic, the term has come under greater scrutiny

97. Why we're getting reusable packaging wrong

Reusable packaging is gaining momentum across Europe, especially in France where ambitious reuse laws are reshaping retail and hospitality. Fresh from the Reuse Economy E

96. How recycling is really funded

For nearly 30 years, the UK has operated a system designed to make brands contribute towards the cost of recycling through Packaging Recycling Notes (PRNs). This week, we

95. The tech that could end overpackaged boxes, with Jude Pullen

It’s a familiar frustration, ordering something small, only for it to arrive in a box far bigger than it needs; wasteful and seemingly impossible to avoid. This week, we’