Ocean Episodes

In 2016, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation made a striking prediction: by 2050, there could be more plastic in the ocean than fish. The claim spread like wildfire, appearing in headlines, reports, and speeches around the world. But is it true, or just a catchy soundbite? In this episode, we dive into how scientists estimate the weight of plastic and fish in the ocean, what those numbers really mean, and whether this alarming forecast holds water. Plus, are scratchcards rubbish or not, which aluminium foil should we buy, and is James regretting saying he would pay the fines for pouring away a coffee?

Ocean plastic pollution is a massive problem, but it’s even worse than we think. Many imagine vast islands of floating rubbish, easy to scoop up and remove. The reality? Most of it is nearly invisible, scattered from the surface to the deepest trenches. On today’s episode of Talking Rubbish, we uncover the shocking truth about ocean plastic and why cleaning it up is far more complicated than it seems. Plus, how are lightbulbs collected, are tomato purée tubes rubbish or not and how will Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) affect smaller companies?