Rubbish Talk

18/12/2025

🎙️ Episode 89 Out Now! 🎙️

This week on Rubbish Talk, Alasdair is joined by Cait Lawson and Riska Hasan, students from the University of Edinburgh, for a fascinating conversation on waste, behaviour change, and how research can shape more sustainable systems.

From data-driven tools and behavioural nudges to global perspectives on waste reduction, Cait and Riska share fresh insights from their studies and real-world experience. The discussion explores how visual messaging, incentives, equity, and culture all influence how people deal with waste — and why the next generation of researchers has a critical role to play in tackling environmental challenges.

A thoughtful, hopeful episode that proves the future of waste and resource management is in good hands. 🌍♻️

🎧 Click here to listen now: https://rubbishtalk.co.uk/2025/12/17/episode-89-university-of-edinburgh-students-on-waste-behaviour-change/

18/12/2025

On the seventh day of Christmas, Rubbish Talk gave to me…

A spot as a Top 10 show for 207 fans! 💚

Your support means everything — thank you for making us part of your weekly routine.

17/12/2025

On the sixth day of Christmas, Rubbish Talk gave to me…

• UK
• Australia
• USA
• India
• Indonesia

Thank you to our top 5 listening countries this year! 🌍

16/12/2025

On the fifth day of Christmas, Rubbish Talk gave to me…

🌍 23 countries reached in 2025!

Sustainability is global — and so is our community.

15/12/2025

On the fourth day of Christmas, Rubbish Talk gave to me…

🌟 Episode 54 with Gordon Fergus, played 159% more than our average episode!

Clearly you loved this one — Gordon, you’re a hit!

14/12/2025

On the third day of Christmas, Rubbish Talk gave to me…

📈 A 58% increase in followers!

More listeners, more conversations, more rubbish (the good kind). Thanks for sticking with us!

13/12/2025

On the second day of Christmas, Rubbish Talk gave to me…

👂 999% more new audience members than last year!

Welcome to everyone who discovered us in 2025 — we’re so glad you’re here!

12/12/2025

On the first day of Christmas, Rubbish Talk gave to me…

✨ 49% more listeners than last year!

Thank you for showing up, tuning in, and letting us fill your headphones with all things waste, sustainability & good chats. 💚♻️

11/12/2025

♻️ Episode 88 of Rubbish Talk is OUT NOW — The Waste Journey of Glass!

This week, Alasdair and Jane dive into one of the most circular materials we use every day: glass. From bottles and jars to aggregates and insulation, glass has one of the highest recycling rates — but the journey from your recycling bin back into a new product is more complex than it seems.

They explore:
🔹 Why colour sorting still matters
🔹 How contamination impacts quality
🔹 What really happens at glass reprocessors
🔹 The challenges of cullet markets across the UK
🔹 And why glass is still one of the best examples of a true circular economy material

Plus, in the news: waste mountains, live ammunition in WEEE, dinosaur-costumed fly-tippers, and more…

🎧 Listen now:

11/12/2025

Seven in ten Scots feel embarrassed by the litter in their neighbourhoods — and the latest insights from Keep Scotland Beautiful show why this issue needs urgent attention.

Litter and flytipping continue to affect communities across Scotland, but with the right action, meaningful change is possible. We’ve shared a new blog post exploring the data, the national strategy, and what we need from the next Scottish Parliament to turn the tide.

Read the full post here:

https://rubbishtalk.co.uk/2025/12/11/keep-scotland-beautiful-highlights-urgent-action-needed-on-litter-and-flytipping-ahead-of-2026-election/

Keep Scotland Beautiful Highlights Urgent Action Needed on Litter and Flytipping Ahead of 2026 Election Leave a Comment / Landfill, Re-use, Recycling, Waste Management News, Waste Minimisation / By RubbishTalk / December 11, 2025 December 11, 2025 Rubbish Talk is pleased to share an update from Keep...

09/12/2025

New on the Rubbish Talk blog! ⚠️

"Dangerous Waste, Forgotten Lessons"

This blog was again inspired by avid listener — and former guest — John, who shared a striking story from 1984 that shows just how dangerous waste work once was.

His account of a freezer incident at Linwood Incinerator is a powerful reminder of why today’s safety standards matter — every rule was written in response to real harm.

John also shares some memorable moments from the early days of white-goods take-back and reuse, showing just how far the industry has come.

👉 Read the full post: https://rubbishtalk.co.uk/2025/12/02/dangerous-waste-forgotten-lessons/

Dangerous Waste, Forgotten Lessons Leave a Comment / Landfill, Re-use, Recycling, Waste Management News, Waste Minimisation / By RubbishTalk John’s Reflections on White Goods and Waste Safety(Inspired by listener John Crawford’s email about Episode 81 of Rubbish Talk) Some stories from the early...

04/12/2025

♻️ Episode 87 of Rubbish Talk is OUT NOW — The Waste Journey of WEEE! 🔌📱

This week Alasdair and Jane dive into one of the UK’s fastest-growing and most misunderstood waste streams: WEEE — Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment.

In this episode, they break down:
🔋 Why hidden batteries are causing fires across the UK
♻️ How WEEE is dismantled and recycled at authorised treatment facilities
🛍️ Why retailers must offer take-back when you buy new items
⚠️ The growing problem of “disposable tech”
🔎 And why tools like Material Focus’ Hypnocat are essential for finding your nearest drop-off point

If you’ve ever wondered what happens to your old kettle, how to recycle that drawer of tangled chargers, or why Christmas “light-up tat” is such a nightmare… this one’s for you.

🎧 Listen to Episode 87 now: https://rubbishtalk.co.uk/2025/12/03/rubbish-talk-episode-87-the-waste-journey-of-weee-waste-electrical-electronic-equipment/