Episode 92 kicks off 2026 with a wide-ranging and thoughtful conversation as Alasdair is joined by Vicki Hughes, Managing Director of McPhee Associates, Board Member of the Wood Recycling Association (WRA), and Vice President of the Chartered Institution of Waste Management (CIWM). With decades of experience across wood recycling, business development, and sector leadership, Vicki brings both strategic insight and practical reality to the discussion.
Vicki reflects on her route into the waste sector, beginning with wood recycling at Hadfields and evolving into consultancy work focused on culture, leadership, permitting, and regulatory engagement. A recurring theme is that many successful waste businesses are built on strong technical ideas but struggle without the management structures and communication needed to support long-term growth. Her work now often centres on helping organisations bridge that gap, improving how teams function as much as what they deliver.
A major part of the episode explores the role of the Wood Recycling Association and the importance of the Waste Wood Classification system. Vicki explains how the sector worked collaboratively with regulators to demonstrate that most waste wood is non-hazardous, protecting vital outlets such as panel board manufacturing, biomass, and animal bedding. She outlines the grading system (A–D) and why getting classification right underpins both environmental protection and market stability across the UK.
The conversation then turns to one of the toughest years the wood recycling sector has faced. A combination of unplanned plant shutdowns, seasonal demand pressures, fires, and infrastructure outages created a perfect storm that left sites struggling to move material and, in some cases, forced wood into landfill. Vicki describes how regulators, particularly SEPA, have worked pragmatically with operators, and how Regulatory Position Statements (RPS) have been used in England to provide temporary relief — while acknowledging the limitations and stress this situation has placed on the entire system.
Looking ahead, Vicki shares her enthusiasm for her upcoming role as CIWM President, with a focus on sector attractiveness. She argues that waste and resource management is still too inward-looking and needs to better communicate its diversity of roles, from engineering and chemistry to data, design, and communications. Central to this is changing language, opening doors to early-career professionals, and making the sector visible to those who would never naturally consider “waste” as a career path.
The episode closes on a hopeful note, with a call to embed circular economy and sustainability thinking much earlier in education. Vicki shares a powerful reflection on how early learning shapes lifelong behaviour and believes engaging children with environmental responsibility could transform both society and the future workforce. Her final advice is simple but resonant: volunteer, say yes to opportunities, and don’t underestimate how skills gained today can shape careers decades later.
Useful Links 🔗
Wood Recyclers Association (WRA) | Wood Recyling
WRA Grades of Waste Wood April 25
Vicki is collecting stories on how people found a career in waste and why they stayed.
To take part, email hello@sizzle.org.uk with “LOVE IT” as the subject.
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