Rubbish Talk Podcasts

Episode 90: Christmas Recycling Tips

Merry Christmas from Rubbish Talk! 🎅🎙️ In this festive episode, Alasdair and Jane swap hard-hitting waste debates for something a little more seasonal — practical, realistic tips to help listeners recycle better and reduce waste over the Christmas period. Whether you’re escaping the family for a dog walk or tuning in after the King’s Speech, this episode is all about keeping …

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Episode 89: University of Edinburgh Students on Waste, Behaviour & Change

  In this episode of Rubbish Talk, Alasdair is joined by two University of Edinburgh postgraduate students, Cait Lawson and Riska Hasan, for a wide-ranging conversation about waste systems, behaviour change, and what the next generation of waste professionals sees coming next.     Cait, an MSc student in Ecological Economics, brings experience from waste research projects …

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Rubbish Talk Episode 87: The Waste Journey of WEEE (Waste, Electrical & Electronic Equipment)

  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, …

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Rubbish Talk Episode 86: Waste Crime with Samantha Riggs

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 …

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Rubbish Talk Episode 85: The Waste Journey of Paper & Cardboard

  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 …

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Rubbish Talk Episode 84: Waste Reprocessing Capacity in Scotland

  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 …

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Rubbish Talk Episode 83: Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs)

  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 …

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Rubbish Talk Episode 82: Fighting Fly-Tipping with Amanda Young

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 …

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