Episodes

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.

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?

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?

“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?

New legislation is shifting the cost of recycling from taxpayers to the brands that create packaging in the first place. After decades of public funding, producers are now being asked to pay, but rolling out a brand-new system hasn’t been seamless. As the system settles, fees are being tied directly to how recyclable packaging is, a move that could reshape the packaging we see and buy every day. Plus, are glow sticks rubbish or not, why can we recycle aerosol cans at home but not gas canisters, and why was Robbie a bit too bold on council glass collections.

In 2021, Ellie and James left their jobs and spent 15 months travelling around the world. Along the way, they paid close attention to how sustainability showed up in practice; what worked, what didn’t, and what felt worth questioning. In this New Year’s episode, Ellie joins Robbie and James to reflect on the trip. They revisit it continent by continent, each sharing one idea or observation that stuck with them. The conversation covers travel, perspective, and what they took away from the experience.

In 2021, LEGO announced an ambitious plan to make its iconic bricks from recycled plastic bottles. Just two years later, the project was quietly scrapped. Why did it fail and why might that decision actually be a good thing? In this festive episode, we take a closer look at the UK’s number one toy brand and the sustainability initiatives behind its efforts to make a plastic toy more circular. Plus, are advent calendars rubbish or not, what should we do with compostable plastic, and why has Robbie been litter-picking Santa hats?

Imagine accidentally starting a fire that caused £30 million in damage and destroyed 60,000 tonnes of UK recycling, and never even knowing you did it. This is the hidden danger of battery fires, and unfortunately a true story. In recent years, the number of fires caused by batteries have more than doubled as batteries become more powerful and increasingly hazardous. Nowhere is this risk greater than in the waste and recycling industry, where a single misplaced battery can ignite during collection or processing. In this episode, we uncover how our current recycling systems are fuelling these fires and, crucially, what simple steps we can all take to make sure we’re not the ones who start the next one. Plus, are nitrous oxide canisters rubbish or not, can you recycle brittle bottles, and why has James been rummaging through a bin store in Tenerife?

In 2017, Lucozade bottles were branded a “recycling villain”, not because of the bottle itself, but because the label wrapped around it was stopping the whole thing from being recycled. How can a simple label cause such a big problem, and why are brands often slow to fix issues like this? In this episode, we dive into the surprisingly technical world of packaging labels and uncover why even small changes are far more complex than they seem. Plus, are effervescent tablet tubes rubbish or not, should we dye our clothes, and why is Greggs in our bad books.

A vast illegal waste dump in Oxfordshire, stretching 150 metres and sinking two storeys deep, has sent shockwaves through the waste industry. It’s a stark reminder of one of the sector’s most persistent challenges: organised waste crime. How could a site of this scale emerge unnoticed and unchallenged? Why did it take the Environment Agency more than three months to formally shut it down? With incidents of large-scale fly-tipping on the rise, what does this mean for the future of waste management? Join us as we explore the growing shadow economy of waste crime and discuss the forces driving it. Plus, are postage stamps (and their books) rubbish or not, would we really recommend plastic over paper, and why is James fighting with an AI chatbot?

With nearly 200,000 tonnes of direct carbon emissions linked to the UK TV and film industry in 2024, sustainability is quickly becoming an urgent priority. This week’s guest, Stephanie Shires, has helped deliver major carbon-reduction initiatives on some of the biggest shows currently on television. She offers a behind-the-scenes look at how environmental impact is managed on set, from food and transport, to accommodation and daily logistics. Steph breaks down the practical decisions she faces each day, revealing what it really takes to make modern productions more sustainable.

The world of television is a carbon minefield, packed with travel, fuel use, catering demands, high-maintenance talent and crews racing against the clock. So how is albert reshaping the industry? Does carbon tracking genuinely drive change, or has it become just another box to tick? In this episode, we go behind the scenes to uncover the challenges, innovations and everyday decisions that could make our favourite TV programmes far more sustainable. Plus, are fire extinguishers rubbish or not, what happens to bagged recycling, and why have James and Robbie both eaten Wagyu beef this week?

In recent years, toilet rolls wrapped in paper instead of plastic have been hailed as the eco-friendly choice. But in most industries, individually wrapping products is seen as wasteful, so why does toilet paper get a free pass? In this episode, we unravel the surprisingly complicated world of “sustainable” loo roll. From eco brands to supermarket staples, we’ll find out which options really wipe the floor with the rest. Plus, are Carex refill pouches rubbish or not, should we flush or bin snotty toilet paper, and why is "bangers and cash" a great title for a future episode.

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?

Launched in 2021, the Earthshot Prize has quickly become one of the most influential awards in global sustainability. Each year, it celebrates groundbreaking companies and visionary projects that embody the best of human ingenuity. In this episode, we explore who might take home the prize in 2025, why the money itself may matter less than you’d think, and whether spotlighting a single winner truly serves the bigger picture of lasting change. Plus, are water pistols rubbish or not, what is pre-consumer recycling, and have we found the longest (and best) review we will ever receive?

With over 17,000 islands, 34,000 miles of coastline, and limited formal waste management, Indonesia faces an immense waste challenge, one that’s compounded by imports of foreign waste from countries like the UK. This week’s guest, Esther Carter (recently named #1 on the Resource Hot 100), shares insights from her time living and working in Indonesia, offering a first-hand perspective on how the crisis unfolds on the ground. In this wide-ranging conversation, we dig into the realities of waste management across the archipelago, the social and environmental impacts of global waste trade, and explore what meaningful solutions could look like for Indonesia’s future.

Fresh from the Sustainable Packaging Coalition conference in Boston, we dive into America’s focus on EPR, flexible plastics, and consumer engagement. Don’t miss our biggest takeaways from this influential event. Plus, are red Solo cups rubbish or not, does pouring a drink down a drain count as littering, and why is James annoyed at his son?

Each year, airlines generate more than 5.7 million tonnes of cabin waste, much of it disappearing “out of sight, out of mind.” But behind those discarded coffee cups and meal trays lies a tangle of international regulations and border controls that make recycling very challenging. In this episode, we unpack the complex world of in-flight waste, explore why even recyclable materials are often treated as high-risk, and reveal the surprising barriers preventing airlines from improving. Plus, are balloons rubbish or not, how would we counter NGOs saying recycling is pointless, and are sundried tomatoes making us too niche?

In a seismic shift that really damages the credibility of 'The Rubbish Book', toothpaste tubes can now be recycled. But what changed to make an entire product category recyclable, and what could this mean for other similar products in the future? In this episode, we squeeze out every last detail, from collection and sorting to recycling innovations and the consumer messaging that makes it all work. Plus, are Capri-Sun pouches rubbish or not, how does a lack of on-the-go bins affect recycling rates, and what is the best thing James has ever done?

The blind box market is booming, valued at more than $15 billion, with over 10 million Labubu dolls sold each month. But behind the thrill of surprise lies something darker, a system fuelled by FOMO and overconsumption. In this episode, we unbox the packaging to uncover the hidden psychology of blind boxes. Plus, are yoghurt pots rubbish or not, can wet cardboard be recycled, and is Robbie a secret video game model?

Over 160,000 households across 10 local authorities have been trialling flexible plastic collections. The early results are promising: strong participation, positive resident feedback, and low contamination rates. But while 400 tonnes have been collected so far, that figure pales in comparison to the estimated 150,000 tonnes expected once all councils are required to collect this material from 2027. Gareth Morton from Ecosurety joins us to explain how the system will scale to meet this surge, and what lessons we can take from the pilots already underway.

Recycling flexible (or soft) plastics has long been a challenge; costly, labour-intensive, and difficult to scale. In this episode, we explore how major UK brands came together to fund groundbreaking work that helped make supermarket collection of these plastics possible, paving the way for household recycling in the future. James and Robbie, two of the key drivers behind the initiative, take you behind the scenes to share the challenges, breakthroughs, and impact of this collaborative effort. Plus, are sponges rubbish or not, is incineration really better than landfill, and why is James angry at a piece of bubble wrap?

Plastic recycling is facing breaking point. Financial models aren’t adding up, legislation has stalled, and major brands are dialling back their commitments. With recyclers shutting their doors, we explore why the system is faltering, how the crisis could reshape the industry, and what it all means for the future of plastic. Plus, are water filters rubbish or not, what happens to the print on aluminium, and why are we not able to visit wet wipe island anymore?

Hailed as a landmark effort to curb plastic pollution, the plastic treaty was supposed to unite nations around a binding plan to cut production, improve recycling, and reduce waste. But as talks dragged on, the deal collapsed under competing interests, petrochemical producers on one side, environmental advocates on the other. We break down what went wrong, why powerful industries fought to water down the agreement, and what the failure means for the future of global environmental policy. Plus, are Buzzballz rubbish or not, should we fold used crisp packets into triangles, and why is a restaurant cutting the top off James' aluminium can?