Talking Rubbish - Recycled Content

This episode looks at the growing waste problem created by Ozempic and other injectable medication pens. With millions of pens potentially ending up in landfill or incineration each year, we explore why these devices are classed as sharps waste, what the rules are for safe disposal, and whether recycling schemes like PenCycle are part of the solution. We also discuss the confusion many people have around disposing of medical pens correctly, and why this fast-growing stream of single-use plastic waste is becoming the next disposable vape problem.

This episode of Recycled Content, is the 'Rubbish or Not' from episode 49 of Talking Rubbish, which first aired on 3rd July 2025.

While every effort has been made to provide the most accurate information, recycling guidance changes quickly and some advice may become outdated over time. Always check with your local council for the rules that apply to recycling in your area. On the main Talking Rubbish podcast, we include an additions and corrections section where we update anything we may have got wrong.

These clips come from the weekly show, Talking Rubbish - The Recycling Podcast

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, X, 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 [email protected] or by texting them via WhatsApp on 07356 069 232

Music licence ID: 3GXXBILNPGLYRUZF

This episode revisits the use of ocean bound plastics in reusable water bottles and other food-contact items. We take a closer look at the Food Standards Agency guidance and the UK regulations covering materials that come into contact with food and drink. From refillable bottles to plastic cutlery, we explore why traceability and chemical safety standards matter, and why the FSA believes environmental plastics may be better used in non-food applications unless they can meet the same standards as UK recycled plastics.

This episode of Recycled Content, is the 'Rubbish Question' from episode 48 of Talking Rubbish, which first aired on 26th June 2025.

While every effort has been made to provide the most accurate information, recycling guidance changes quickly and some advice may become outdated over time. Always check with your local council for the rules that apply to recycling in your area. On the main Talking Rubbish podcast, we include an additions and corrections section where we update anything we may have got wrong.

These clips come from the weekly show, Talking Rubbish - The Recycling Podcast

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, X, 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 [email protected] or by texting them via WhatsApp on 07356 069 232

Music licence ID: 3GXXBILNPGLYRUZF

Disposable BBQs might seem convenient for festivals and summer gatherings, but they can be dangerous and difficult to recycle. In this episode, we look at why they should never go straight in the bin while still warm, how they can cause fires hours later, and what to do with the ash and aluminium tray once everything has fully cooled. We also explore whether any part of a disposable BBQ can actually be recycled, and the safest, most responsible way to dispose of one.

This episode of Recycled Content, is the 'Rubbish or Not' from episode 48 of Talking Rubbish, which first aired on 26th June 2025.

While every effort has been made to provide the most accurate information, recycling guidance changes quickly and some advice may become outdated over time. Always check with your local council for the rules that apply to recycling in your area. On the main Talking Rubbish podcast, we include an additions and corrections section where we update anything we may have got wrong.

These clips come from the weekly show, Talking Rubbish - The Recycling Podcast

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, X, 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 [email protected] or by texting them via WhatsApp on 07356 069 232

Music licence ID: 3GXXBILNPGLYRUZF

This episode explores what happens to construction waste after it leaves a skip, following the journey through a modern waste sorting facility. It looks at how different materials are separated, recycled, reused, or disposed of, and highlights the scale and complexity of managing household building waste. Along the way, it examines the environmental impact of renovations and offers an encouraging insight into how much material can now be recovered rather than sent to landfill.

This episode of Recycled Content, is the 'Rubbish Question' from episode 47 of Talking Rubbish, which first aired on 19th June 2025.

While every effort has been made to provide the most accurate information, recycling guidance changes quickly and some advice may become outdated over time. Always check with your local council for the rules that apply to recycling in your area. On the main Talking Rubbish podcast, we include an additions and corrections section where we update anything we may have got wrong.

These clips come from the weekly show, Talking Rubbish - The Recycling Podcast

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, X, 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 [email protected] or by texting them via WhatsApp on 07356 069 232

Music licence ID: 3GXXBILNPGLYRUZF

Pens turn out to be far more difficult to recycle, with their mix of plastics, metals, springs and ink making them unsuitable for kerbside recycling and extremely hard to process at end of life. Looking into the world’s best-selling Bic pen revealed a patchy picture of sustainability claims, discontinued take-back schemes and limited recycling options.

This episode of Recycled Content, is the 'Rubbish or Not' from episode 47 of Talking Rubbish, which first aired on 19th June 2025.

While every effort has been made to provide the most accurate information, recycling guidance changes quickly and some advice may become outdated over time. Always check with your local council for the rules that apply to recycling in your area. On the main Talking Rubbish podcast, we include an additions and corrections section where we update anything we may have got wrong.

These clips come from the weekly show, Talking Rubbish - The Recycling Podcast

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, X, 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 [email protected] or by texting them via WhatsApp on 07356 069 232

Music licence ID: 3GXXBILNPGLYRUZF

Is recycled plastic worse for us than virgin plastic, especially in drinking bottles, and does it release more microplastics? There is some truth behind the concern, recycled plastics can contain a mix of chemicals from their previous uses. However, food-grade plastics like PET drink bottles are heavily regulated, with strict EU limits on chemical migration into food and drink. The bigger concern may be in products like toys, where recycled plastics could combine chemicals from multiple sources, which is why the EU is tightening rules around substances like PFAS and endocrine disruptors. So while recycled plastic can potentially carry more chemical complexity, regulations are designed to keep exposure levels low, especially in food and drink packaging.

This episode of Recycled Content, is the 'Rubbish Question' from episode 46 of Talking Rubbish, which first aired on 12th June 2025.

While every effort has been made to provide the most accurate information, recycling guidance changes quickly and some advice may become outdated over time. Always check with your local council for the rules that apply to recycling in your area. On the main Talking Rubbish podcast, we include an additions and corrections section where we update anything we may have got wrong.

These clips come from the weekly show, Talking Rubbish - The Recycling Podcast

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, X, 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 [email protected] or by texting them via WhatsApp on 07356 069 232

Music licence ID: 3GXXBILNPGLYRUZF

Can you recycle a jigsaw puzzle? They’re mostly cardboard, so technically yes, but generally the pieces are too small to be processed properly. Still, if you really wanted to try, putting all the pieces back in the box and taping the lid shut might work. Although honestly, why throw one away at all? People love second-hand puzzles, even incomplete ones, as long as you warn them first. Derbyshire Council suggests donating or selling them, and Reddit had some brilliant reuse ideas too, including turning old puzzles into wreaths, coasters and even earrings.

This episode of Recycled Content, is the 'Rubbish or Not' from episode 46 of Talking Rubbish, which first aired on 12th June 2025.

While every effort has been made to provide the most accurate information, recycling guidance changes quickly and some advice may become outdated over time. Always check with your local council for the rules that apply to recycling in your area. On the main Talking Rubbish podcast, we include an additions and corrections section where we update anything we may have got wrong.

These clips come from the weekly show, Talking Rubbish - The Recycling Podcast

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, X, 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 [email protected] or by texting them via WhatsApp on 07356 069 232

Music licence ID: 3GXXBILNPGLYRUZF

Do cans really contain plastic? Yes, most food and drink cans are lined with a thin plastic coating called an epoxy resin. Like paper straws and coffee cups, cans need a lining to stop the material reacting with food and drink. Without it, fizzy or acidic drinks could corrode the metal and affect the taste. The lining is removed during the recycling process.

This episode of Recycled Content, is the 'Rubbish Question' from episode 44 of Talking Rubbish, which first aired on 29th May 2025.

While every effort has been made to provide the most accurate information, recycling guidance changes quickly and some advice may become outdated over time. Always check with your local council for the rules that apply to recycling in your area. On the main Talking Rubbish podcast, we include an additions and corrections section where we update anything we may have got wrong.

These clips come from the weekly show, Talking Rubbish - The Recycling Podcast

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, X, 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 [email protected] or by texting them via WhatsApp on 07356 069 232

Music licence ID: 3GXXBILNPGLYRUZF

Staples are one of those tiny recycling dilemmas, they’re usually made of steel, but their small size makes people wonder what to do with them. The good news is you can generally leave them in paper when recycling, as the pulping process turns paper into slurry and screens easily remove small contaminants like staples. If you want to go the extra mile, you could collect staples in something like a steel can (even loosely sealed with foil) so they’re more easily captured in metal recycling systems, which use magnets and eddy currents to separate materials. Or, if you have access to a recycling centre, you can simply drop them straight into the metal bin.

This episode of Recycled Content, is the 'Rubbish or Not' from episode 44 of Talking Rubbish, which first aired on 29th May 2025.

While every effort has been made to provide the most accurate information, recycling guidance changes quickly and some advice may become outdated over time. Always check with your local council for the rules that apply to recycling in your area. On the main Talking Rubbish podcast, we include an additions and corrections section where we update anything we may have got wrong.

These clips come from the weekly show, Talking Rubbish - The Recycling Podcast

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, X, 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 [email protected] or by texting them via WhatsApp on 07356 069 232

Music licence ID: 3GXXBILNPGLYRUZF

Those little holes in produce or meat bags might seem pointless, especially when you try to reuse them as compost caddy liners, but they’re there for a reason. They help with ventilation to reduce moisture and mould, allow the contents to compress without the bag bursting, and were historically thought to help prevent suffocation. In reality, for home delivery where you’re not transporting loose produce yourself, the ventilation and crush protection aren’t all that necessary.

This episode of Recycled Content, is the 'Rubbish Question' from episode 43 of Talking Rubbish, which first aired on 22nd May 2025.

While every effort has been made to provide the most accurate information, recycling guidance changes quickly and some advice may become outdated over time. Always check with your local council for the rules that apply to recycling in your area. On the main Talking Rubbish podcast, we include an additions and corrections section where we update anything we may have got wrong.

These clips come from the weekly show, Talking Rubbish - The Recycling Podcast

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, X, 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 [email protected] or by texting them via WhatsApp on 07356 069 232

Music licence ID: 3GXXBILNPGLYRUZF