The Material Advantage Podcast with Dan Noakes & Rachel Myall

In this episode, Dan and Rachel speak to Dr Adam Read, Chief Sustainability and External Affairs Officer at SUEZ in the UK - the man who helped shape Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation. The trio discuss the impact that waste management systems downstream have on materials and chemicals innovation and selection upstream; the implications of resource management on the effectiveness of live packaging waste policy reforms; and what the future looks like for brands, manufacturers, suppliers, start-ups, investors and universities.

It's the word on many people's lips: decarbonisation. But what does it actually mean? And how are industries and companies doing it? Dan and Rachel dive into how power, energy and heat are intertwined with materials and chemicals; the market demands, geopolitical pressures and changing legislation facing leaders trying to evolve their business; and which pathways and solutions are most likely to succeed.

Over the past five years, there has been a rush of investment into alternative materials and chemicals. Biomaterials funding for example peaked at $1.7 billion in 2022, cooled to $583 million in 2024 and was recovering towards roughly $1.5 billion for 2025 according to Net Zero Insights and World Bio Markets Insights. So why haven't there been more success stories? We discuss what has gone right, what has gone wrong, the role of buyers and supply chains as well as investors, and how innovators are rethinking how to fundraise and scale.

A new podcast covering everything business leaders need to know to stay ahead of the trillion-dollar materials and chemicals transition, with Dan Noakes and Rachel Myall.