When a mystery body of a boy is found in a bale of recycled plastic in Turkey, a team of investigative journalists decide to work out what happened. They go looking for answers in industrial yards and dodgy offices, but the story gets more risky. Tensions explode in Istanbul and one of their team is arrested. But they have to know: who was the boy? And could it be linked to Britain?

Boy Wasted is the thrilling three-part environmental true crime investigation, presented by Dan Ashby and Lucy Taylor, and brought to you by ENDS Report, Journalismfund Europe and De Groene Amsterdammer. Dan and Lucy bring together a team of award-winning journalists from across Europe to pursue the truth about a secret global scandal.

Presenters and Producers: Dan Ashby, Lucy Taylor and Adnan Khan

Reporters: Tess Colley and Pippa Neill

Sound Design and Series Mixing: Jarek Zaba

Editor: Jamie Carpenter

This investigation was developed with the support of Journalismfund Europe.

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Every week, the ENDS team enters the ECO Chamber to discuss the UK’s biggest green news stories and bring you up to speed on the latest developments in environmental policy.

This week, ECO Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons speaks with editor Jamie Carpenter about Reform UK’s party conference hosted at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham over the weekend. 

With prominent fringe events hosted by groups such as the US conservative think-tank, the Heartland Institute, we discuss how climate denialism has permeated Reform UK’s thinking around climate policy.  

And what does it mean now Steve Reed is leading the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government? And who is his replacement at DEFRA? This and more…

PLUS: A new legal opinion casts doubt on Planning Bill protections, a new report suggests sewage capacity fears are holding up housing, and a first-of-a-kind local nature recovery strategy has been published. 

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There's a concrete yard with piles of plastic, and lying on the ground is the body of a boy - grotesquely ripped apart.  

Who was he? And what really happened to him? A team of award-winning investigative journalists set out to find out.

You can listen to all three episodes of Boy Wasted on the Eco Chamber podcast feed from 16 September 2025.

A Smoke Trail production for ENDS Report and De Groene Amsterdammer, developed with the support of JournalismFund Europe. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every week, the ENDS team enters the ECO Chamber to discuss the UK’s biggest green news stories and bring you up to speed on the latest developments in environmental policy.

This week, ECO Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons speaks with deputy editor Tess Colley about the chemicals industry’s attempts to influence UK politicians on regulating forever chemicals. But some experts have warned that their attempts to dissuade politicians from moving against PFAS chemicals like fluoropolymers are using “scaremongering” tactics from the ‘Big Tobacco’ playbook. 

The team will also speak with the Wildlife Trust’s senior land use policy manager Barnaby Coupe about a report published by the charity this week revealing the billions of litres of manure produced every year from intensive pig and poultry farms – and the environmental impact. 

PLUS: The slaughterhouse fined for pouring blood into a stream, the new leader of the Green Party and DEFRA’s new flexi-permit proposals for the industry and energy sectors.  

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every week, the ENDS team enters the ECO Chamber to discuss the UK’s biggest green news stories and bring you up to speed on the latest developments in environmental policy.

This week, Eco Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons speaks with senior reporter Shosha Adie about a proposed golf course in the Scottish Highlands which one watchdog says has habitat-killing potential.

The proposed Couls Link Golf Course at Embo in East Sutherland is backed by billionaire Mike Keiser, business rival of US president Donald Trump. However, in a new setback for developers NatureScot has called for an outright objection to the scheme. What will this mean for the golf course plans?

PLUS: UK Butterfly populations continue their downward spiral, why the chancellor wants a new planning bill, and the legal action launched against a minister’s ‘irrational’ data centre EIA decision.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every week, the ENDS team enters the ECO Chamber to discuss the UK’s biggest green news stories and bring you up to speed on the latest developments in environmental policy.

For today’s episode we bring you an ENDS exclusive on the levels of toxic forever chemicals detected at English airports described as “alarmingly” high by experts.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of 10,000-strong man-made forever chemicals. They are found in all manner of consumer products, but particularly in firefighting foams.

ECO Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons speaks with ENDS Report’s news editor Pippa Neill about her investigation – and what the high levels of PFAS found at airports could mean for nearby drinking water supplies. 

PLUS: DEFRA appoints a new permanent secretary to replace Tamara Finkelstein, what happened at the failed global plastics treaty in Geneva, and the chicken megafarm farm rejected on climate grounds.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every week, the ENDS team enters the ECO Chamber to discuss the UK’s biggest green news stories and bring you up to speed on the latest developments in environmental policy.

In Scotland, the world’s largest wind farm has been approved.

SSE Renewable’s Berwick Bank offshore wind farm will be constructed 38km off the coast from St Abb's Head National Nature Reserve and close to Bass Rock, which is home to the world's largest island colony of northern gannets.

This week, Eco Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons speaks with RSPB Scotland’s head of policy and advocacy Aedán Smith about why the granting of planning permission for the wind farm was “a very dark day for seabirds”.

ENDS deputy editor Tess Colley also discusses the latest developments on the story of controversial plans for gas exploration in North Yorkshire, and why the Environment Agency has dropped its initial objections to the site. 

PLUS: A first-of-a-kind PFAS dataset has been published, the UK Health Security Agency has appointed a new leader, and a push to bring lynx back has its second wind… 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every week, the ENDS team enters the ECO Chamber to discuss the UK’s biggest green news stories and bring you up to speed on the latest developments in environmental policy.

The pillars of biodiversity net gain - a flagship nature policy - are under stress as the Office for Environmental Protection has warned the government against making any substantive changes to it without safeguards.

This week, Eco Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons speaks with net gain expert Natalie Duffus at the University of Oxford about the proposed changes, their potential impacts and the government’s next moves. 

ENDS Report news editor Pippa Neill also discusses an exclusive on the true cost of DEFRA’s digital waste tracking scheme. It was intended to help identify, tackle and prevent waste crime but why has its price tag tripled? 

PLUS: The so-called world’s biggest offshore wind farm has been given the green light in Scotland, the UN’s Global Plastics Treaty in Switzerland has begun, and Yorkshire Water has been fined almost £1m for a ‘catastrophic’ chlorine spill.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every week, the ENDS team enters the ECO Chamber to discuss the UK’s biggest green news stories and bring you up to speed on the latest developments in environmental policy.

In the last week, former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn announced the launch of a new political party with water industry policy front and centre. And earlier this year, Reform UK – running on an anti-net zero mandate – took command of 10 councils in the May local elections.

What approach have these new councils been taking towards net zero policies since Reform took the reins, and what exactly does Corbyn plan to do with the water industry?

This week, Eco Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons, ENDS Report’s news editor Pippa Neill and WWF UK’s head of public affairs David Walsh explore the state of green policies in government and the threats they face at a time of political polarisation and upheaval.

PLUS : A £1.1bn promise to councils to help improve local recycling schemes, a new plan to tackle pet flea treatments, and the Environment Agency consults on reducing forever chemicals in the town with the UK’s highest known levels of PFAS.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every week, the ENDS team enters the ECO Chamber to discuss the UK’s biggest green news stories and bring you up to speed on the latest developments in environmental policy.

This week, ENDS Report’s senior reporter Shosha Adie explains the implications of a major review into the water sector.

Alongside Alistair Chisholm, policy director at CIWEM – The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management – the team also explores the government’s rationale behind its decision to scrap the water regulator Ofwat. 

PLUS: Scotland’s upcoming landfill ban, the Planning Bill amendments you need to know about and the government’s new food strategy. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.