Rubbish Talk

News Roundup 

Landfill Ban Enforcement Paused
Scotland’s long-awaited landfill ban has been delayed once again, as SEPA introduces a temporary enforcement approach to give operators more time to comply. Under the new framework, landfill operators can apply for six-month extensions if they can prove there’s no viable alternative for disposal.

Waste Crime ‘Critically Under-Prioritised’ 
A new report reveals that waste crime is being treated with dangerously low priority across the UK. The scale is staggering — an estimated 38 million tonnes of waste is illegally managed each year, costing billions and undermining legitimate operators.

House of Lords Calls for Crackdown on Waste Crime 
The House of Lords Committee on the Environment and Climate Change has issued a scathing report criticising the lack of coordination between regulators, councils, and law enforcement.

National Litter and Fly-Tipping Strategy
The Scottish Government has published its Year 2 update and Year 3 action plan on litter and fly-tipping. There’s progress — including six new monetary penalties from SEPA and improved data sharing.

Deposit Return Delays and Transparency Row 
In other news, the head of Circularity Scotland claims vital details about Scotland’s failed Deposit Return Scheme were “kept from” the organisation, raising questions about how the scheme was managed behind the scenes.

Topic: Household Waste Recycling Sites (HWRCs) 

This week’s main discussion dives into Household Waste Recycling Sites — or, as most of us still call them, the tip. Jane reminds listeners that under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, councils are legally required to provide these facilities free of charge for householders (though not for businesses). They’re a vital part of the local waste system — taking everything from garden waste and cardboard to fridges, batteries, and hazardous items like asbestos. 

Alasdair and Jane explore the challenges councils face running these busy sites: traffic management, health and safety, limited space, and the occasional misunderstanding over what goes where. They discuss the importance of good signage, clear layouts, and simple preparation at home — sorting waste into separate piles before arriving can make all the difference. 

They also talk about the rise of booking systems, introduced during COVID and now used by several councils. Alasdair is a fan — saying it cuts queues, reduces abuse toward staff, and helps councils collect data to plan better. Jane sees both sides, warning that some residents dislike needing to book ahead and that digital exclusion could leave some people behind. Still, both agree that for many councils, it’s made life easier, safer, and more efficient. 

The episode also shines a light on the human side of HWRCs — the staff who run them. Sadly, violence and aggression toward operators is becoming more common, with some councils now using body cameras for safety. Jane notes how important proper training and communication skills are, and Alasdair points listeners to SWITCH's Violence and Aggression resources, including a video from Falkirk Council that’s worth sharing. 

Finally, they celebrate the potential of reuse and repair at HWRCs — from on-site “reuse shops” to community partnerships recovering wood, paint, and furniture. There’s huge potential to move further up the waste. 

Rubbish Rant: Waste Crime Without Consequence 

This week, Alasdair’s rant circles back to the House of Lords’ waste crime report. He reminds listeners that legitimate waste operators are often the real victims — forced to compete with illegal traders offering “cheap” disposal by cutting corners. “At the end of the day,” he says, “it’s the people hiring these low-cost operators who drive the problem.”

As always, the message is clear: responsible waste management needs proper enforcement, smarter systems — and a public willing to do the right thing. 

This week, Alasdair is joined by Amanda Young, an engineering PhD student at the University of the West of Scotland, who’s taking the fight to fly-tipping, quite literally — she’s a two-time ISKA world kickboxing champion!

Amanda’s research focuses on the relationship between kerbside bulky-waste collections and fly-tipping across Scotland, digging into why so many people still resort to dumping items illegally. Through interviews, surveys, and council data, she’s uncovered some striking patterns — including how charging for bulky uplifts, inconsistent services, and long waiting times can unintentionally push people toward illegal disposal. For many, it’s not laziness but lack of access, transport, or awareness of the right channels.

She and Alasdair unpack the social side of waste behaviour — how people’s decisions are shaped by stigma, convenience, and affordability. They explore the reality that bulky items like sofas, fridges, or mattresses often get dumped because it’s easier than navigating collection systems that differ from one council to another. As Amanda points out, “people aren’t necessarily trying to break the rules — they just don’t always know how the system works.”

The discussion also highlights the positive work happening across Scotland, from councils piloting free or low-cost bulky uplift schemes to social enterprises rescuing and repairing reusable furniture. Amanda argues that building circular economy principles into local waste services — focusing on reuse and community value — could reduce fly-tipping while supporting social good.

Alasdair is impressed by Amanda’s ability to connect data with lived experience, showing how waste management isn’t just an environmental issue but a human one. Her findings show that empathy, clear communication, and equal access are just as crucial as enforcement in tackling fly-tipping. The pair also touch on Amanda’s presentation at the Sardinia Symposium, where she shared Scotland’s story on an international stage and drew inspiration from global approaches to waste prevention and circularity.

By the end of the episode, Alasdair admits Amanda might have changed his mind on charging for bulky uplifts — proof that research and practical insight can shift even seasoned industry views.

Useful Links:

If you live in Scotland and would like to voice your opinions on fly-tipping in your community and the kerbside collection for household bulky items (e-waste, furniture, white goods), please click here.

If you would like to connect or follow the research journey, connect with Amanda on LinkedIn.

This week, Alasdair and Jane start with a listener shout-out!

A big thanks to Deborah Saxton from Saxton Consultancy, who got in touch after our AD episode to share news of a Spanish company developing food waste pre-treatment tech — sounds like a future guest in the making!

And our favourite confession of the week? Someone fell asleep listening to Rubbish Talk and woke up to Jane Googling the scientific name for mad cow disease. It still counts as a listen!

News Roundup

Turning Beach Waste into Footwear

A new BBC story highlights an entrepreneur who’s transforming discarded flip-flops into brand new sandals. He collects waste flip-flops from beaches across Southeast Asia and South America, using the plastic for soles of stylish new shoes made in Spain. Now an ambassador for a government loan scheme, he’s proving that sustainable startups and circular design can walk hand in hand.

Ashes on the Hills — A Different Kind of Waste

The John Muir Trust is calling for more respect in how people scatter ashes on mountains. Alasdair and Jane discussed how some hikers are leaving visible piles of ash on popular peaks — creating environmental and ethical dilemmas.

Fishing Nets to 3D Printing Filament

From the Cornish coast comes a great story of innovation: one man’s mission to turn discarded fishing nets into material for 3D printing, making everything from sunglasses to motorbike parts. In this Guardian feature, he calls it a “one-man recycling revolution”, and his micro-factory-in a container concept could scale globally.

Packaging Tax Pushback

A businesses in the South West are pushing back against the UK’s new EPR rules. According to the BBC, some firms say the new packaging tax will raise prices, but as Alasdair notes, “why should councils — and the public — pay for disposal when producers profit from the packaging?”. It’s a fair question. Whether the cost hits the checkout or the council bill, the shift could finally drive smarter packaging design.

Topic: Fridge Recycling Waste Journey

This week, Alasdair and Jane continued their waste journeys with one of the bulkiest and most complex household items — the humble fridge. Around 3 million fridges and freezers are discarded every year in the UK, which works out to an average lifespan of just nine years.

Fridges might look harmless, but they contain refrigerant gases like CFCs and HFCs, which have a global warming impact up to two tonnes of CO₂ per fridge. These gases sit not only in the cooling system but also in the insulating foam, which is why proper recycling is so important. When a fridge reaches the end of its life, it can be collected by the retailer, uplifted by the council, or taken to a Household Waste Recycling Centre before being sent to an authorised treatment plant such as GAP Alba in Perth.

At these facilities, fridges go through a careful dismantling process. The refrigerant gases and oils are first extracted from the compressor, which is then removed for recycling. The remaining shell is shredded in a sealed environment to prevent any gases escaping, while metals and plastics are separated for reuse. The insulating foam is turned into solid recovered fuel, and only a small fraction of the material becomes waste.

The key message? Whether it’s 9 old or 20, your fridge has a significant environmental footprint when it’s not handled correctly. So when it finally gives up, make sure it’s recycled through an approved facility.

Rubbish Rant: Roadside Litter Madness

This week’s rant turned to roadside rubbish after Jane spotted Transport Scotland’s new litter campaign on Facebook, highlighting the risks to road workers who have to collect discarded waste.

While Keep Scotland Beautiful and the Scottish Government’s new litter and fly-tipping action plan are trying to tackle the issue, Alasdair remains sceptical — there’s plenty of talk, but not much action.

News Roundup

Renewables Overtake Coal as the World’s Top Power Source

According to BBC News, renewable energy — mainly solar and wind — has overtaken coal as the world’s largest source of electricity for the first half of this year. While China and India lead the charge, richer nations like the US and EU are lagging behind. Jane shares her sunny holiday observations of solar panels in Greece, while Alasdair notes Scotland’s growing wind power and the massive investment needed to reconfigure the national grid.

London’s Air Quality Hits Legal Targets for the First Time

For the first time since 2010, nitrogen dioxide levels in London have dropped within legal limits — largely thanks to the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). Alasdair reminds listeners that these schemes are not just about climate change but public health, with air pollution linked to around 9,500 premature deaths annually in London alone.

Fly-tipping or Just a Bit of Litter?

One woman faced a £300 fine after putting an envelope in a public bin following an online collection. Thankfully, the council backed down — but it sparked debate over how far enforcement should go. As Alasdair points out, the right approach would’ve been to recycle the wrapper at a supermarket soft-plastics point.

Fly-tippers Strike Again — 40 Tonnes of Waste Dumped on a Farm

In Essex, a farmer discovered 40 tonnes of suspected hazardous waste dumped on his land, facing a £26,000 bill to clear it. Alasdair and Jane discuss how waste crime like this is rising, often linked to unscrupulous operators dodging disposal fees — and how it unfairly penalises landowners.

Topic: Waste Journeys – Food Waste

This week, Alasdair and Jane trace the journey of food waste through the anaerobic digestion (AD) process — where microbes transform leftovers into methane gas (used for energy) and digestate (used as fertiliser).

With England introducing mandatory food waste collections by March 2026, the hosts explore how this system works and why it’s key to cutting carbon. Food waste makes up nearly 30% of household bins, half of which is avoidable — but when recycled, it becomes a valuable resource.

Jane breaks down the biology: AD is a controlled, oxygen-free process where microbes “digest” food waste, producing biogas for electricity, heating, or vehicle fuel, and a nutrient-rich fertiliser to replace chemicals on farms.

Alasdair explains the economics: AD plants now accept food waste for as little as £16 per tonne — or even pay for clean loads — compared to nearly £190 per tonne for landfill or incineration.

The pair also discuss quality standards like PAS 110, contamination issues (tea bags, fruit stickers, and “biodegradable” liners that don’t actually degrade in AD), and why consistency in food inputs keeps the process healthy — for bugs and business alike.

Key Takeaway: AD turns waste into value — but it only works if we do our bit. Separate your scraps, keep plastics out, and let nature do the rest.

Rubbish Rant: Buffet Waste Woes

This week it’s Jane’s turn for a rant— and it’s about buffets.

On holiday, she was shocked by how much untouched food people left on their plates. Her verdict? “You should only be allowed to go up for seconds if you’ve finished everything on your plate!”

Alasdair agrees, noting that some hotels like Premier Inn have switched from buffet breakfasts to cooked-to-order meals to cut waste. Together, they call for a culture shift — less piling up, more portioning smartly. Because even when food is plentiful, waste shouldn’t be.

This week we sit down with Larry Kotch, CEO of Flybox, to explore how black soldier fly larvae can transform organic by-products into high-value protein and fertiliser (frass). Larry’s route to insects started at university, studying environmental governance and waste policy in South Africa. A dissertation on early insect operations “bit him by the bug,” but an entomologist steered him toward business first. After building a 40-person software agency, he returned to his original passion and co-founded Flybox to make insect systems practical for the waste sector.

Larry frames Flybox as insect waste management, not “insect farming.” Larvae are nature’s clean-up crew: in controlled, food-factory-style environments they eat organic material and, in around eight days, upcycle it into larvae (protein) and frass (fertiliser). Unlike linear “burn for energy” routes such as incineration or even AD, this approach keeps nutrients circulating—food becomes larvae, which become pet food and aquafeed ingredients, while frass returns to soils. The model is modular and highly automated: by-products are milled into a porridge (ideally ~70% moisture), dosed with juvenile larvae that Flybox supplies on subscription, grown at ~30°C, then sieved to separate larvae from frass. Outputs can be sold live, frozen, dried or defatted; Flybox can also buy back product via offtake.

Regulation shapes what goes in. In the UK/EU, Category 3 ABP rules prevent using post-consumer “black bin” food waste as feed; the focus is pre-consumer by-products. Other regions are more permissive (some even allow manures). Warmer climates lower energy needs, but feedstock reliability and logistics matter. Today’s strongest markets are premium pet food and aquaculture, with a long-term push toward mass fishmeal pricing as technology improves and organics policy evolves. Larry notes how subsidies and gate-fee dynamics for AD/EfW can distort feedstock economics; as “Simpler Recycling” and landfill/biodegradable bans bite, on-site circular options become more attractive—especially for producers whose by-products are now being turned away from AD.

Who’s adopting? Waste management companies (they control feedstock and need circular solutions) and food manufacturers/retail/distribution (seeking on-site treatment, lower costs, and “zero-waste” reporting—larvae turn a “waste” into a feed ingredient). In the UK, operators want low-labour systems, so Flybox leans into automation: robotic stacking/sieving, conveyors and climate control in modular “fly boxes” or warehouse-scale tunnels. Typical entry scale is 0.5–1 tonne/day, with the next-gen platform targeting 30–50 t/day sites. Operationally, dosing is critical—too few larvae and material remains wet and hard to handle; too many and you waste potential. Backup power and ventilation are designed in to keep conditions stable and odours controlled.

On perception and safety, Larry stresses there are no swarms of flies. Only a small breeding cohort matures; production larvae are harvested well before pupation. For householders wary of “maggots in the caddy,” he explains it’s usually down to flies laying eggs in poorly sealed bins or long storage times—good practice prevents it. Looking ahead, Flybox is completing a funding round to expand its Cheshire R&D/demo site, roll out Gen-3 for larger facilities, and move several active projects from design into construction.

Key takeaway: Insects aren’t a gimmick—they’re a credible, circular organics solution that can turn by-products into protein and fertiliser in just eight days. As policy and collection systems shift, modular insect units could help waste managers and food producers cut disposal costs, reduce emissions, and create products, not just energy.

Useful Links 🔗

Larry Kroft LinkedIn

Flybox® LinkedIn

Flybox® Website

IWM Whitepaper (Free DL)

News Roundup

Scotland’s £1.3 Billion Food Waste Problem

A new Zero Waste Scotland report reveals households are binning £1.3 billion worth of food every year — that’s around £234 per person, or nearly £100 a month for the average family. Shockingly, 73% of that waste was edible. Overcooking, poor planning, and not using food in time are the main culprits. With a landfill ban for biodegradable waste due in January 2026, the pressure to cut food waste is mounting.

Recycle Week: Toothpaste Tubes Go Plastic-Only

Toothpaste brands are switching from hard-to-recycle aluminium–plastic tubes to fully plastic designs, making them technically recyclable. With 25 million tubes sold annually in the UK, it’s a big step forward — but Alasdair points out a gap: while they can be recycled, most facilities aren’t yet equipped to capture them. For now, they may still end up in general waste.

Energy-from-Waste & Carbon Costs: A SUEZ Warning

A new SUEZ report challenges fears that the emissions trading scheme (ETS) will inevitably send waste-to-energy costs soaring. Councils, it argues, can reduce exposure by improving recycling rates and targeting “carbon-heavy” waste streams like plastics, electricals, and nappies. Alasdair highlights that better infrastructure today could mean lower costs tomorrow.

Topic: Recycling Collection Systems

This week we looked at how recycling collections compare across Scotland, England and Wales—and why some systems deliver better outcomes than others.

In Scotland, the Household Recycling Code of Practice was introduced in 2016, aiming to standardise collections of paper/card, plastics/metals/cartons, glass and food waste. Nearly all councils signed up, but consistency remains patchy. Different bin colours and rules confuse the public, and Zero Waste Scotland estimates 81% of what goes in residual bins shouldn’t be there. Food waste collections are also underused, showing the system is in place but underperforming.

England is now rolling out “simpler recycling,” due by March 2026. This standardises collections with four core containers—including a weekly food waste service for most households. It’s a big shift, but councils face major operational challenges: sourcing new bins, adapting routes, and finding capacity at treatment facilities. Soft plastics are also on the agenda, but without reprocessing infrastructure in place, their recyclability remains questionable.

Wales continues to lead with around 57% recycling. Its kerbside sort system delivers higher-quality recyclate, supported by legally binding recovery targets that drive consistent progress. This mix of clear targets, high-quality outputs and strong public engagement has kept Wales ahead of the rest of the UK.

Key takeaway: Recycling systems only work if they deliver both quality and consistency. Wales proves that clear targets and well-designed services can transform results. For Scotland and England, the biggest gains now lie in getting food waste out of residual bins, aligning messaging with infrastructure, and ensuring what’s collected can actually be recycled.

Rubbish Rant: Back Lane Dumping

This week’s rant was more of a “mini rant” from Alasdair. While out and about, he’s noticed more and more items being abandoned in back lanes — old furniture, bags of waste, or random junk left outside garden gates. The problem? It doesn’t just disappear. Often it sits there for weeks or months, creating eyesores and attracting more fly-tipping.

As Alasdair points out, extra bins mean more are stored in lanes rather than gardens — but that seems to encourage some people to leave other things out too. Whether it’s wishful thinking or just avoiding a trip to the recycling centre, it’s a bad habit that quickly turns shared spaces into dumping grounds.

Key takeaway: Bins are for waste, not the back gate. If it’s bulky, book a collection or take it to the recycling site — don’t expect it to vanish on its own.

News Roundup

Wet Wipe Island on the Thames

A 180-tonne “island” of congealed wet wipes has formed near Hammersmith Bridge — the size of two tennis courts and a metre high. Thames Water is using an 8-ton excavator to remove it, but the bigger issues are people flushing wipes containing plastic and storm overflows bypassing treatment. Police are even trialling “spike-trap” devices to trace repeat sewer blockers back to households — with fines a possibility.

Waste Crime Crackdown in Lincolnshire

The Environment Agency has confiscated £75,000 from illegal operators, but what’s new is fining machine drivers and waste hauliers too. With landfill tax now £126/tonne, waste crime is profitable, but prosecuting the whole chain could hit harder.

Food Waste Costs Families £90/Month

In Wales, the average family bins nearly £1,000 of food a year — even with collections available. Research shows 80% could have been eaten. Alasdair notes that separating food often makes households realise just how much they waste.

North Ayrshire’s Reuse Row

A political spat erupted after second-hand mattresses and furniture were reused for council homes. Critics called it undignified, but Alasdair argues it’s common sense: cleaning and reusing good items gives them a second life and keeps them out of landfill.

Pannage Pigs in the New Forest

Hundreds of pigs have been released for the annual season to eat acorns, toxic to ponies and cattle. With new food waste collections, concerns are rising they’ll target bins too — proving that “pannage season can be carnage.”

Topic: Waste Collection Methods

Alasdair and Jane explore how household collections evolved over 200 years.

In the early 1800s, waste was dumped in streets and rivers, fuelling cholera outbreaks until the Public Health Act (1848) made councils responsible. “Dust yards” collected coal ash and cinders, reused in brick-making and farming.

Milestones since:

• Late 19th century: councils built incinerators, many later closed over air pollution.

• Wartime austerity: repair and reuse were the norm.

• 1950s–70s boom: disposable goods and packaging took over.

• 1980s–90s: heavy bins and fragile black sacks gave way to wheelies, with safer lifting gear.

Today’s methods:

• Kerbside sort (e.g. Wales): higher quality recycling, but slower.

• Wheelie bins: multiple streams, used across most of the UK.

• Communal systems: common in flats/Europe, sometimes with ID-card access.

• Automated vehicles: used in rural/commercial settings to cut labour costs.

The hidden cost? In 2018, household waste services cost £154 per household per year — about 7p in every £1 of council tax. Crews face expensive vehicles, routing challenges, and health/safety risks (think gas canisters or lithium batteries).

Key takeaway: From ash bins to wheelie bins, collection has always adapted. But one simple fix we missed? Standardising bin colours nationwide to cut confusion.

Rubbish Rant (Well… Not Quite!)

This week, Alasdair broke tradition — no rant, just positivity.

Fresh from the resource management show at the NEC, he found the sector buzzing: packed talks, busy stands, and a real sense of momentum.

Key takeaway: Waste isn’t just about problems — it’s about innovation, collaboration, and the energy driving us forward.

News Roundup

Fire at S Norton’s Glasgow East Facility

Another week, another fire — this time at S Norton’s Glasgow East site. Six appliances attended, and thankfully no one was hurt. Alasdair notes around four refuse vehicles catch fire daily in the UK, often from lithium-ion batteries. Without stronger producer responsibility, these fires will keep happening.

£500m Skelton Grange EfW Facility Opens in Leeds

Enfinium has opened its £500m energy-from-waste plant in Leeds, designed to process 410,000 tonnes a year and generate 49 MW. It highlights the UK’s continued reliance on EfW as landfill space shrinks.

Dutch Waste Tax Hikes Risk ‘Waste Tourism’

The Netherlands plans big waste tax increases to raise €567m, but critics warn it could push waste abroad. Alasdair compares it to Scotland’s higher landfill tax, where price gaps risk shifting waste rather than solving the problem.

John Lewis Highlights £29m EPR Costs

John Lewis has added £29m to cover extended producer responsibility. Jane welcomes overdue accountability, while Alasdair says producers should pay for the waste they create — though retailers may simply pass the cost on.

Plastic Overshoot Day Arrives

12 September marked Plastic Overshoot Day — when global plastic generation exceeds capacity to manage it. With 28kg per person worldwide (likely higher in the UK), packaging drives one-third of production.

Toxic Landfill Leachate Mixed with Sewage

A Guardian story raised alarms about landfill leachate mixed into sewage sludge and spread on farmland. Alasdair explains it’s longstanding practice, with fertiliser benefits but real concerns over PFAS and microplastics. The fix lies upstream, not just at the last stage.

Topic: Landfill – The Last Resort?

In our final waste-hierarchy episode, we cover disposal. Both Jane and Alasdair began their careers on landfill sites, so this one’s close to home.

In the late ’80s and ’90s, nearly everything went to landfill. Concerns about leachate and gas migration pushed the UK toward liners, leachate treatment, and gas control. By the ’90s, the UK led in landfill engineering, with gas-to-energy powering homes.

The EU Landfill Directive (1999) forced higher standards and split sites into inert, non-hazardous, or hazardous. Scotland now has no hazardous sites — all waste goes south.

Landfill Tax introduced in 1996 at £7 per tonne, now stands at £103.70 per tonne in both England and Scotland. It successfully drove diversion to recycling and EfW — but also fuelled waste crime, as rogues undercut lawful disposal.

Scotland’s 2026 biodegradable landfill ban will remove household/commercial waste, but industry waste still needs outlets. With falling tonnages, some operators may not invest in new lined cells, risking shortages and long haulage — already an issue in the Highlands.

It’s not all bad: landfill gas-to-energy remains a key renewable, restored sites support wildlife, and there’s interest in landfill mining or storing plastics in mono-cells for future recovery.

Key takeaway: Landfill is still needed, but only as a true last resort. The better we reduce, reuse, recycle, and recover, the less waste ends up buried for future generations.

Rubbish Rant: Coffee Cup Chaos at Edinburgh Airport

Alasdair’s rant this week comes from Edinburgh Airport. He spotted “coffee cup only” bins full of other rubbish — and worse, dual bins (cups vs residual) both leading to a single bag. If it all goes to residual, why separate?

The UK bins 3.2bn cups annually, costing councils £5.1m, while big brands contribute just £45k via the National Cup Recycling Scheme — barely 0.01% of profits. Add public confusion (plastic iced cups ≠ coffee cups), and it looks more like PR than real progress.

Jane shared a brighter note, trying a BorrowMyCup at Glasgow’s Transport Museum. If every UK resident reused just one cup, that’s 69m fewer disposables.

Key takeaway: Misleading bins and token funding won’t cut it. The real fix? Bring your own cup and reuse.

This week on the Rubbish Talk Podcast we welcome a special guest – Andy Rees OBE, Head of Waste Strategy at the Welsh Government – for a fascinating conversation about how Wales became a global leader in recycling and what the rest of the UK can learn from their approach.

Andy’s career spans over 25 years in waste policy, starting with a background in geochemistry and water pollution before moving into waste strategy in the late 1990s. Since then, he has helped shape a system that has transformed Wales from a 5% recycling rate to nearly 70%, earning international recognition and making Wales second in the world for recycling.

Andy explains Wales success lies in its focus on consistency, quality, and public engagement. Weekly collections of separated materials – paper/card, glass, plastics/metals, and food waste – ensure high-quality recyclables that manufacturers actually want. Mandatory workplace recycling reinforces the message beyond households, creating a culture of recycling “at work, rest and play.” Food waste has been a particular priority, with capture rates rising from 45% in 2018 to 58% in 2022 thanks to strong communication campaigns and accessible weekly services.

But Andy is clear that recycling is just the beginning. The Welsh Government’s Beyond Recycling strategy looks to the next step: prevention, reuse, repair, and remanufacturing. From reuse hubs to plastic film recycling trials and investment in local processing facilities, Wales is working to keep resources circulating in its economy for as long as possible, creating jobs and reducing reliance on raw materials.

There are challenges, of course. Behaviour change takes time, political pressures can make bold decisions difficult, and new infrastructure requires investment. Yet Andy’s message is simple: be brave and stick with it. Wales was once told that 25%, 40%, even 70% recycling targets were impossible – but persistence paid off.

The key takeaway from this episode is that clear systems, strong public engagement, and political courage can transform waste management. By designing for quality, supporting reuse, and persevering through resistance, we can build a truly circular economy that benefits both people and the planet.

News Roundup 🗞️

EU Plastics Recycling Industry Warns of Imminent Collapse
The European plastics recycling sector is in crisis. Falling demand, rising costs, and low-priced imports are pushing facilities to the brink. By the end of 2025, Europe could lose 1m tonnes of recycling capacity. Alasdair links this to UK plant closures — a worrying trend that risks undoing progress on circularity.

Plastic Energy Produces First Recycled Oil at Dutch Plant
Some brighter news: Plastic Energy has produced its first batch of pyrolysis oil (TACOIL™) in the Netherlands, using hard-to-recycle plastics as feedstock. Jane calls it a breakthrough: turning unrecyclable waste back into raw material. Full commercial production is expected later this year.

QMRE Secures Permit for Plastic-to-Oil Operations in Kent
QM Recycling Energy has secured a permit in Kent to process up to five tonnes of plastic waste a day into oil. Smaller in scale than Plastic Energy, but another sign that advanced recovery technologies are moving forward.

DEFRA to Reform Waste Carrier, Broker and Dealer System
DEFRA plans major changes to waste carrier regulation, moving to permits and exemptions. The aim is tackling waste crime, but Alasdair warns against painting the whole industry as “criminal.” Enforcement should focus on true offenders, while the public needs clearer communication about why rules (like bulky uplift changes) are in place.

Topic: Your Waste, Your Responsibility ♻️

This week Jane and Alasdair take on litter — and the myth that “the bins were full” is an excuse. At its heart: responsibility. Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, everyone has a legal duty of care from the moment waste is created until it’s finally dealt with. That applies to households, businesses, and contractors alike.

On a daily level, that means simple things: if a bin’s full, use another or take waste home. Don’t stack bottles on top or leave bags beside bins — that’s still littering.

The duty becomes even more critical with home renovations. If a builder’s “mate with a van” fly-tips your bathroom and the bags trace back to you, you’re liable. Always ask carriers where waste is going, check they’re licensed (SEPA in Scotland, the Environment Agency in England), and get proof. If a price looks too cheap, it probably ends in a lay-by.

The scale is huge: Scotland sees 250m visible items of litter each year and tens of thousands of fly-tipping incidents, costing tens of millions to clean up. Penalties exist — £80 for littering and £500 for fly-tipping — and new rules mean litter thrown from vehicles can now be penalised via the keeper. But laws only matter if enforced.

Takeaway: Leave no trace. Carry rubbish to the next bin, fold cups, stack containers, and compact waste to leave room for others. Responsibility doesn’t end when you drop it — it’s on all of us to cut the 250m items blighting Scotland each year.

Rubbish Rant: Batteries Burning the Sector 🔥

Another week, another fire — this time at a Scottish site run by Cireco. While still under investigation, it reflects a growing crisis: lithium-ion batteries in the waste stream. Across the UK, an estimated four refuse collection vehicles catch fire daily, often triggered by hidden batteries from vapes, earbuds, and electronics.

Alasdair argues operators can’t keep carrying the blame when the real issue is producers and poor product stewardship. Despite take-back rules, too many batteries end up in bins. Stronger producer responsibility is needed — clearer labelling, proper collection, or even a deposit-return model for vapes.

Jane adds that public education is vital: the real frontline is householders choosing what to put in the bin.

Takeaway: Fires put workers, facilities, and services at risk. Producers and government must step up, while the public takes responsibility for safe disposal.