Talking Rubbish - The Recycling Podcast

Deposit return schemes can deliver impressive recycling rates. With that in mind, what can we learn from countries already using them? Following a trip to Ireland, James shares his experience of the country’s DRS, from the ease of spotting return points to the unexpected economy created by putting a value on bottles and cans. We look at what Ireland gets right, some of the unintended consequences, and what the UK could learn ahead of its own scheme launching in 2027.
Plus, are arcade tickets rubbish or not, why do we need a recycling label when everything will be recyclable, how will butter be packaged in our dream shop, and why are James and Robbie worried about being accused of being polyester?
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.
To see James and Robbie live at London Packaging Week, get your free ticket here. 
Please take a moment to complete the Simpler Recycling tracker
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, 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 talkingrubbishpodcast@gmail.com 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
Send us a message directly…
 Music licence ID: 6WPY8Q4O2RPFIOTL

How do you talk about environmental issues without preaching, oversimplifying or making people feel powerless? In this episode, we are joined by environmental journalist and broadcaster Lucy Siegle to explore what she’s learned from more than 20 years communicating sustainability. We discuss whether focusing on systemic change was really a mistake, why recycling can be a gateway to much bigger environmental issues, whether our obsession with plastic has gone too far, and why none of us needs to be perfectly green.
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.
Please take a moment to complete the Simpler Recycling tracker
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, 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 talkingrubbishpodcast@gmail.com 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
Send us a message directly…
 Music licence ID: 6WPY8Q4O2RPFIOTL

Recycling labels are about to change, but will they actually make recycling easier? In this episode, we look at the EU’s plans for harmonised packaging labels, including a proposed system of 24 different pictograms. Harmonisation sounds like a good idea, but what happens when those labels appear on packaging in the UK without matching labels on our bins? And are we moving from a simple instruction telling us what to do with our packaging, to a system that simply tells us what it’s made from?
Plus, are vapes rubbish or not, how much household flexible plastic is actually recycled, how will sandwiches be packaged in our dream shop, and why has James found a security breach in some litter?
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.
Please take a moment to complete the Simpler Recycling tracker
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, 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 talkingrubbishpodcast@gmail.com 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 recycling labels are about to get more confusing - 1:40
Additions and corrections - 20:45
Rubbish or Not: vapes - 27:00
Rubbish News - 35:16
How much household flexible plastic is actually recycled? - 44:02
Green Grocer: sandwiches - 45:57
Residual Rubbish - 53:19
Send us a message directly…
 Music licence ID: 6WPY8Q4O2RPFIOTL

The UK is sending huge amounts of plastic waste to Turkey, but what actually happens to it when it gets there? We dig into the numbers behind the headlines to find out what we're really exporting, why Turkey has become such a major destination, and how much actually comes from our household recycling. It turns out the story isn't simply about waste being dumped overseas. Turkey has a huge recycling industry, but new research from Adana raises a more complicated question; what happens when our plastic is recycled, but the recycling process itself creates pollution?
Plus, are solar eclipse glasses rubbish or not, is washing recycling pointless, how will bread be packaged in our dream shop, and how much toothpaste did Robbie have left in the tube?
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.
Please take a moment to complete the Simpler Recycling tracker
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, 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 talkingrubbishpodcast@gmail.com 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 are we sending so much plastic to Turkey - 01:32
Additions and corrections - 24:16
Rubbish or Not: solar eclipse glasses - 31:54
Rubbish News - 36:18
Is washing recycling pointless? - 41:10
Green Grocer: bread - 46:59
Residual Rubbish - 52:25
Send us a message directly…
 Music licence ID: 6WPY8Q4O2RPFIOTL

Fires at waste and recycling sites are becoming increasingly common, with batteries, vapes and gas canisters ending up where they shouldn’t. In this episode, we look at why our bins now contain more energy than ever before, why awareness alone doesn’t seem to be solving the problem, and how these fires could make recycling increasingly expensive. Plus, we discuss a deposit return scheme we can actually get behind: a £5 deposit on vapes.
Plus, are pregnancy tests rubbish or not, will BuzzBallz be included in a deposit return scheme, how will honey be packaged in our dream shop, and is fly tipping really cheaper than littering?
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.
Please take a moment to complete the Simpler Recycling tracker
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, 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 talkingrubbishpodcast@gmail.com 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 our bins keep catching fire - 00:55
Additions and corrections - 23:04
Rubbish or Not: pregnancy tests - 31:26
Rubbish News - 37:47
Are BuzzBallz in scope for deposit return schemes? - 44:43
Green Grocer: honey - 49:26
Residual Rubbish - 54:03
Send us a message directly…
 Music licence ID: 6WPY8Q4O2RPFIOTL