As Christmas approaches — and with it a surge in bottles of wine, fizz and festive jars — Alasdair and Jane turn their attention to glass. What happens to it once the recycling bin is emptied? Why does colour sorting matter? And how much of Scotland’s glass is actually recovered? This week’s episode answers …
Rubbish Talk Episode 88: The Waste Journey of Glass Read More »
Rubbish Talk is pleased to share an update from Keep Scotland Beautiful, following their recent engagement with us about Scotland’s ongoing litter and flytipping challenges and the opportunities ahead to drive real change. After reading our recent blog “Rubbish Rules and Realities” with John Crawford, Keep Scotland Beautiful reached out to highlight the importance …
This week, Alasdair and Jane tackle one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the UK: WEEE – Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment. From kettles and cables to laptops, toys, vapes and Christmas lights, electrical items are becoming smaller, cheaper and far more disposable — but the recycling system isn’t keeping up. Before diving in, …
John’s Take on Scotland’s Litter Strategy (Inspired by listener John’s response to Episode 81 of Rubbish Talk) Few people know the realities of waste and litter management better than John, a Rubbish Talk listener and guest on Episode 53. After hearing our recent episode on Episode 81, he shared his candid thoughts on Scotland’s …
John’s Reflections on White Goods and Waste Safety (Inspired by listener John Crawford’s email about Episode 81 of Rubbish Talk) Some stories from the early days of waste management are sobering reminders of how far safety and regulation have come — and how hard-won those lessons were. Long-time listener and former guest John …
This week, Alasdair is joined by a very special guest — Samantha Riggs, a criminal barrister from 25 Bedford Row and one of the UK’s few legal specialists working almost exclusively in environmental and waste management law. Samantha has spent over a decade navigating the complexities of regulation, enforcement, and prosecution in the waste sector …
Rubbish Talk Episode 86: Waste Crime with Samantha Riggs Read More »
News Roundup Albion Environmental Wins UK Business of the Year – Investors in People (Gold) It’s celebration time! Albion Environmental has won UK Business of the Year: Gold (2–49 staff) at the 2025 Investors in People Awards — a recognition of the whole team’s commitment to learning, development, and quality. Alasdair and Mia headed …
Rubbish Talk Episode 85: The Waste Journey of Paper & Cardboard Read More »
This week, Alasdair and Jane tackle one of the biggest questions in Scotland’s circular economy: how much of our waste can we actually recycle and reprocess here at home? Based on a new Scottish Government Waste Reprocessing Capacity Report, they explore where Scotland is making progress — and where big gaps remain. From …
Rubbish Talk Episode 84: Waste Reprocessing Capacity in Scotland Read More »
News Roundup Landfill Ban Enforcement Paused (SEPA Temporary Approach) Scotland’s long-awaited landfill ban has been delayed once again, as SEPA introduces a temporary enforcement approach to give operators more time to comply. Under the new framework, landfill operators can apply for six-month extensions if they can prove there’s no viable alternative for disposal. Alasdair …
Rubbish Talk Episode 83: Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) Read More »
This week, Alasdair is joined by Amanda Young, an engineering PhD student at the University of the West of Scotland, who’s taking the fight to fly-tipping, quite literally — she’s a two-time ISKA world kickboxing champion! Amanda’s research focuses on the relationship between kerbside bulky-waste collections and fly-tipping across Scotland, digging into why so …
Rubbish Talk Episode 82: Fighting Fly-Tipping with Amanda Young Read More »
