News Roundup Wet Wipe Island on the Thames A 180-tonne “island” of congealed wet wipes has formed along a 250m stretch of the Thames near Hammersmith Bridge — roughly the size of two tennis courts and up to a metre high. Thames Water is bringing in an 8-ton excavator to remove it, but Alasdair …
Rubbish Talk Episode 77: Waste Collection Methods Read More »
News Roundup 🗞️ Fire at S Norton’s Glasgow East Facility Another week, another fire — this time at S Norton’s Glasgow East site. Six fire appliances and a high-reach vehicle were called out on 10 September, though thankfully no one was injured. Alasdair points out that around four refuse collection vehicles catch fire every …
Rubbish Talk Episode 76: Landfill – The Last Resort? Read More »
This week on the Rubbish Talk Podcast we welcome a special guest – Andy Rees OBE, Head of Waste Strategy at the Welsh Government – for a fascinating conversation about how Wales became a global leader in recycling and what the rest of the UK can learn from their approach. Andy’s career spans …
Rubbish Talk Episode 75: Andy Rees OBE, Head of Waste Strategy at the Welsh Government Read More »
News Roundup 🗞️ EU Plastics Recycling Industry Warns of Imminent Collapse The European plastics recycling sector is in crisis. Falling demand, rising costs, and low-priced imports are pushing facilities to the brink. Industry leaders warn that by the end of 2025, Europe could lose at least 1 million tonnes of recycling capacity. Alasdair links …
Rubbish Talk Episode 74: Your Waste, Your Responsibility Read More »
News Roundup 📰 KKR Set to Sell Viridor for £7bn Private equity firm KKR is preparing to sell UK-based recycling and waste management giant Viridor, just five years after acquiring it for £4.2bn. With a potential sale price of around £7bn, the deal reflects the ongoing high value of waste infrastructure — despite …
Rubbish Talk Episode 73: Recover the Energy of Waste Produced Read More »
News Roundup Scotland’s Recycling Reality Check The Scottish Government has released a new report on waste reprocessing infrastructure, outlining how 15 key material streams are managed. While food waste and some streams are recycled locally, much of Scotland’s “recycling” is simply bulked up and sent elsewhere. Alasdair highlights the need for clearer stats that …
Rubbish Talk Episode 72: Recycle The Waste You Produce Read More »
This week on the Rubbish Talk Podcast we welcome a special guest – Michael Cook, Chief Executive Officer of Circular Communities Scotland – for an in-depth conversation about the role of community-led projects in building a circular economy. Michael’s journey into the sector wasn’t part of a grand plan; he began his career in …
News Roundup Plastics and Public Health The Lancet Medical Journal warns that plastics are harming health at every stage of life and costing the global economy $1.5 trillion annually. Alasdair and Jane reflect on the alarming scale of plastic production and waste, and share their concerns over microplastics in everyday items like coffee cups …
Rubbish Talk Episode 70: Deep Dive into Plasterboard Read More »
News Roundup UK Recycling Rate Rises… But Scotland Lags Behind New stats show the UK’s recycling rate rose to 44.6% in 2023, with Wales leading at 57% and Scotland trailing at 42.1%. While the numbers sound promising, they include incinerator bottom ash metals — and they’re already a year and a half out of …
Rubbish Talk Episode 69: Reuse The Waste You Produce Read More »
Rubbish Rant 🗑️ Why can’t we just take our litter home? In our first-ever official Rubbish Rant under the new podcast format, Alasdair kicks things off with a very relatable frustration: litter left behind on Scottish beaches after a sunny weekend. Despite bins being placed every 20 yards, people still leave glass bottles, overflowing …
Rubbish Talk Episode 68: Reduce The Waste You Produce Read More »
