Talking Rubbish - The Recycling Podcast

Simpler Recycling promises the biggest shake-up to the UK’s recycling system since kerbside collections began. But despite ambitions for nationwide consistency, exemptions mean some councils may take a different path. In this episode, we unpack the policy’s origins, examine why not everyone will have to follow the same rules, and look ahead to what the future of recycling might actually be. Plus, are contact lenses rubbish or not, is refillable packaging still considered packaging, why is James siding with Michael O'Leary?
Join hosts James Piper and Robbie Staniforth as they delve into the world of recycling, hopefully having fun along the way. One thing is for sure, they will talk absolute rubbish from start to finish.
We would love you to join our community on Discord
Special thanks to our sponsor, Ecosurety
To get exclusive videos and clips, follow us on Instagram, TikTok, X, Threads or Facebook; @rubbishpodcast or YouTube: @talkingrubbishpodcast
Or you can contact James and Robbie with questions or just general rubbish musings using the email address [email protected] or by texting them via WhatsApp on 07356 069 232
Relevant links and reports mentioned in the programme can be found on the Talking Rubbish Linktr.ee
Transcripts and episodes can be found on the Talking Rubbish website
Timestamps:
Why we all suddenly have food waste bins - 2:29
Additions and corrections - 30:46
Rubbish or Not: contact lenses - 38:37
Rubbish News - 43:14
Is refillable packaging still considered packaging? - 47:39
Residual Rubbish - 52:17

Music licence ID: 6WPY8Q4O2RPFIOTL

Much of the plastic packaging we use every day contains colours and additives that can be harmful, and that often prevent the plastic from being recycled at all. This week’s guest, Steven Burns, has spent years tackling that problem by developing ways to remove colour and additives from plastic, increasing its value and usability and making it far more likely to be recycled. In this episode, we explore how the process works, its potential to improve environmental outcomes, and how it could help reduce health concerns linked to plastic recycling.
Join hosts James Piper and Robbie Staniforth as they delve into the world of recycling, hopefully having fun along the way. One thing is for sure, they will talk absolute rubbish from start to finish.
We would love you to join our community on Discord
Special thanks to our sponsor, Ecosurety
To get exclusive videos and clips, follow us on Instagram, TikTok, X, Threads or Facebook; @rubbishpodcast or YouTube: @talkingrubbishpodcast
Or you can contact James and Robbie with questions or just general rubbish musings using the email address [email protected] or by texting them via WhatsApp, our number is 07356 069 232
Relevant links and reports mentioned in the programme can be found on the Talking Rubbish Linktr.ee
Transcripts and episodes can be found on the Talking Rubbish website
 

Music licence ID: 6WPY8Q4O2RPFIOTL

Colour can make plastic more eye-catching, but it can also make it far less valuable, dramatically reducing the chances that it will ever be recycled back into packaging. Despite this, brands continue to add vibrant pigments to packaging to grab our attention, and more often than not, it works. In this episode, we unpack why colour is such a problem for recycling and how marketing priorities collide with material value. We also explore real-world success stories, from the removal of green from Sprite bottles to the shift from coloured to transparent milk bottle lids, small changes that make a surprisingly big difference. Plus, are flags rubbish or not, does glass need to be sorted by colour, and could Robbie set a new record for the fastest wheelie bin?
Join hosts James Piper and Robbie Staniforth as they delve into the world of recycling, hopefully having fun along the way. One thing is for sure, they will talk absolute rubbish from start to finish.
We would love you to join our community on Discord
Special thanks to our sponsor, Ecosurety
To get exclusive videos and clips, follow us on Instagram, TikTok, X, Threads or Facebook; @rubbishpodcast or YouTube: @talkingrubbishpodcast
Or you can contact James and Robbie with questions or just general rubbish musings using the email address [email protected] or by texting them via WhatsApp on 07356 069 232
Relevant links and reports mentioned in the programme can be found on the Talking Rubbish Linktr.ee
Transcripts and episodes can be found on the Talking Rubbish website
Timestamps:
How colour drains the value from plastic recycling - 2:11
Additions and corrections - 33:14
Rubbish or Not: flags - 38:50
Rubbish News - 44:51
Does glass need to be sorted by colour? - 49:52
Residual Rubbish - 54:18

Music licence ID: 6WPY8Q4O2RPFIOTL

A year ago, Birmingham’s bin workers walked out, and the city began to fill with rubbish. What started as a dispute over changes to job progression escalated into industrial action that left up to 17,000 tonnes of waste piling up on the streets. One year on, we revisit the strike to ask what’s changed, what hasn’t, and who has paid the price. How has the dispute shaped public trust, city services, and the future of waste collection? And with major recycling legislation on the horizon, is it time for the standoff to finally end, or is the dispute far from over? Plus, are lighters rubbish or not, why is compostable packaging not compostable in California, and why was James interviewed for the wrong segment on BBC Radio 4?
Join hosts James Piper and Robbie Staniforth as they delve into the world of recycling, hopefully having fun along the way. One thing is for sure, they will talk absolute rubbish from start to finish.
We would love you to join our community on Discord
Special thanks to our sponsor, Ecosurety
To get exclusive videos and clips, follow us on Instagram, TikTok, X, Threads or Facebook; @rubbishpodcast or YouTube: @talkingrubbishpodcast
Or you can contact James and Robbie with questions or just general rubbish musings using the email address [email protected] or by texting them via WhatsApp on 07356 069 232
Relevant links and reports mentioned in the programme can be found on the Talking Rubbish Linktr.ee
Transcripts and episodes can be found on the Talking Rubbish website
Timestamps:
Birmingham bin strike - 02:54
Additions and corrections - 34:49
Rubbish or Not: lighter - 43:03
Rubbish News - 46:23
Why is compostable plastic not compostable in California? - 50:52
Residual Rubbish - 54:04

Music licence ID: 6WPY8Q4O2RPFIOTL

“It’s all burned. It’s all shipped to Turkey. Recycling is a myth.”
We hear these claims all the time, that our carefully sorted waste ends up in landfill or incinerators, and that recycling is basically pointless. But how much of that is actually true? This week, we dig into the reality behind the headlines. Where does our recycling really go? Does cleaning and sorting your waste make any difference at all? And is there still a reason to bother? We debate the myths, unpack the facts, and, spoiler alert, aim to leave you feeling hopeful that looking after your rubbish is still worth the effort. Plus, are tea light candle holders rubbish or not, is a dead battery still a fire risk, and why is a $4,000 deposit return scheme not working for the litter on Mount Everest?
Join hosts James Piper and Robbie Staniforth as they delve into the world of recycling, hopefully having fun along the way. One thing is for sure, they will talk absolute rubbish from start to finish.
We would love you to join our community on Discord
Special thanks to our sponsor, Ecosurety
To get exclusive videos and clips, follow us on Instagram, TikTok, X, Threads or Facebook; @rubbishpodcast or YouTube: @talkingrubbishpodcast
Or you can contact James and Robbie with questions or just general rubbish musings using the email address [email protected] or by texting them via WhatsApp on 07356 069 232
Relevant links and reports mentioned in the programme can be found on the Talking Rubbish Linktr.ee
Transcripts and episodes can be found on the Talking Rubbish website
Timestamps:
Is recycling a scam? - 02:08
Additions and corrections - 31:53
Rubbish or Not: tea light candle holders - 41:02
Rubbish News - 43:00
Is a dead battery still dangerous? - 49:16
Residual Rubbish - 52:11

Music licence ID: 6WPY8Q4O2RPFIOTL