Podcast · Tech & Science

Plastic. Climate. Future.

by Mat Wielopolski & John Sewell · English · Tech & Science

Plastic. Climate. Future. enables engagement among industry members, climate activists, innovators, and the rest of world (the general public) to ultimately achieve positive changes related to plastic and the climate. In their podcast, Mat & John host guests from these groups of stakeholders and

New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 41 min
Latest: 13 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

13 Oct 2026 · 34 minNew

What It Takes to Make Circularity Mainstream

Circular plastics are no longer just a sustainability ambition. They are becoming a strategic business opportunity. But what will it take to move from early adopters to industry-wide adoption? In the latest episode of our series with Plastics Europe Deutschland, we speak with Dirk Langhammer from Borouge International about the future of circular plastics and what needs to happen to make circularity the norm rather than the exception. From mechanical and chemical recycling to renewable and CO₂-based feedstocks, the technologies are evolving. But technology alone isn't enough. Scaling…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

S5 · E12 · 6 Oct 2026 · 35 min
Looking at PVC with Fresh Eyes
PVC has been around for decades — and so have many of the perceptions surrounding it. But how much has the material, and the industry behind it, changed? In the latest episode of our series with Plastics Europe Deutschland we speak with Alexander Kronimus from VinylPlus Deutschland about taking a fresh look at PVC: where it is used, why durability matters, and how the industry is working to make an already long-lasting material more circular. From window frames and cable insulation to medical applications and, of course, vinyl records, PVC is often an invisible part of the products and…
S4 · E9 · 1 Oct 2026 · 44 min
A CRISP Vision for the Future of Manufacturing
What does it take to make industry truly future-ready? In this episode, we speak with Gunther Weidinger, founder and chairman of Estanium and former Siemens executive, about how manufacturing can become more connected, resilient, intelligent, sustainable and people-centric — or, in one word: CRISP. Drawing on more than three decades of industrial experience, Gunther shares why the biggest challenges facing manufacturing cannot be tackled in isolation. Digitalization, resilience, sustainability, AI and people all need to become part of the same transformation. We discuss: What CRISP…
S5 · E11 · 29 Sep 2026 · 38 min
When Recycling Starts with Design
Another episode of our series with Plastics Europe Deutschland is out! This time, we look at why successful recycling often starts long before a product reaches the end of its life — at the design stage. We speak with Dr. Alexander Azzawi from Evonik about the technologies that can make plastics easier to separate, repair and recycle. From inks that can be washed off packaging to adhesives designed to debond on demand, Alex shows how innovations at the design stage can enable higher-quality recycling and more circular material flows. We discuss: How de-inking technology can improve the…
S5 · E10 · 22 Sep 2026 · 39 min
Beyond Sustainability: The Strategic Value of Circularity
In this episode, we speak with Dr. Jens Hamprecht, VP Global Plastics Steering Committee & Sustainability at BASF, about the transformation of the plastics industry and why circularity is becoming increasingly important for Europe's industrial future. From innovative recycling technologies to reducing dependence on imported resources, Jens shares his perspective on the opportunities and challenges of building a circular plastics industry. We discuss: How BASF is advancing circular plastics through innovative recycling technologies and industry collaborations Why scaling circular solutions…
S5 · E9 · 15 Sep 2026 · 34 min
Scaling What Matters: From Innovation to Industry
Last week in Berlin, Germany’s innovation ambitions took center stage. Our series with Plastics Europe Deutschland continues with another example of the technologies and companies shaping its industrial future. We speak with Melanie Hackler and Eva Kamp from matterr about what happens after you develop a promising recycling technology: how do you actually scale it into an industrial business? matterr has developed a chemical recycling process that breaks polyester-rich waste back down into its original building blocks. Those recycled monomers can then be used again in existing polyester…
S5 · E8 · 10 Sep 2026 · 17 min
Turning Germany’s Industrial Strength into Action
This week, Germany’s plastics industry takes its innovation story to Berlin — and our series with Plastics Europe Deutschland looks at what it will take to turn industrial strength into action. Ahead of this week’s innovation press conference, we sit down with Christine Bunte from Plastics Europe Deutschland to discuss what Germany’s plastics industry can contribute to the country’s high-tech ambitions — and what needs to happen to turn that potential into action. Germany has strong industrial capabilities, material expertise and an active innovation landscape. But having the right…
S5 · E7 · 8 Sep 2026 · 35 min
A Front-Row Perspective on the Plastics Industry
Our series with Plastics Europe Deutschland continues with a perspective from someone who has been observing the chemical and plastics industries from a front-row seat for more than three decades. Michael Reubold is a polymer chemist by training — but instead of working directly in the plastics industry, he has spent more than 30 years observing, reporting on and engaging with it as Editor-in-Chief of CHEManager. That gives him a unique perspective on how the industry has changed, the challenges it faces today, and where it could go next. : How the plastics industry — and the way we talk…
S5 · E6 · 3 Sep 2026 · 46 min
The Invisible Chemistry Behind Safer Materials
Flame retardants rarely get much attention. Yet they play an important role in enabling the plastics used across electronics, electric vehicles, renewable energy technologies, buildings and many other high-tech applications. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Adrian Beard from Clariant to explore the science behind flame retardants and the challenge of combining fire safety, material performance and sustainability. We discuss: How flame retardants help make polymers suitable for demanding high-tech applications Why electrification, batteries and renewable energy technologies are creating…
S5 · E5 · 1 Sep 2026 · 50 min
When Conventional Recycling Isn't Enough
Our series with Plastics Europe Germany takes on another key question for the future of plastics: What happens when conventional recycling isn't enough?In this episode, we sit down with Marcel Beermann, CEO of ARCUS Greencycling Technologies, to explore the role chemical recycling can play in tackling mixed and difficult-to-recycle plastic waste — and what it takes to turn these waste streams back into valuable resources.We discuss: Why mechanical and chemical recycling can complement each other, rather than compete How mixed plastic waste can be converted into pyrolysis oil and used again…
S5 · E4 · 27 Aug 2026 · 37 min
Building the Energy Infrastructure of Tomorrow
The energy transition isn’t only about generating renewable energy. It’s also about how we transport and distribute that energy — and the materials that make this infrastructure possible. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Matthias Pursch from Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics to explore the often invisible role advanced materials play in the infrastructure around us. We discuss: How material innovation is enabling high-voltage and HVDC cables high-voltage power cables, including HVDC systems, to transport electricity over long distances Why these technologies are increasingly important…
S5 · E3 · 25 Aug 2026 · 46 min
Rethinking How We Innovate Materials
New episode of our series with Plastics Europe Deutschland, exploring “What HighTech is made of – Plastics as the Enablers of German Innovation Goals,” is live. Episode 2: Rethinking How We Innovate Materials How do we turn promising material ideas into solutions that actually work at industrial scale — and can we do it faster? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Jürgen Stebani, founder and CEO of Polymaterials, to explore how material innovation itself is changing. We discuss: How to accelerate material development and move from ideas to industrial solutions faster How to bridge the gap…
S5 · E2 · 20 Aug 2026 · 38 min
Building Circularity at Industrial Scale
Germany’s future technologies share one common denominator: plastics. In our series with Plastics Europe Deutschland, we talk to the people turning that into solutions — from material volume to material competence, the core idea behind The Plastic Shift. For our first company conversation, we sit down with Daniel Koch from LyondellBasell to look at what circularity means when it moves beyond the lab and into industrial reality. At LyondellBasell’s Wesseling site, the company is building its first industrial-scale MoReTec plant, designed to turn difficult-to-recycle mixed plastic waste into…
S5 · E1 · 18 Aug 2026 · 12 min
The Next Chapter for Germany’s Plastics Industry
Germany doesn't have an ideas problem. Eight years of shrinking industrial production. Christine Bunte, Managing Director of Plastics Europe Deutschland, calls it what it is: not an economic dip, but a structural crisis. And yet — the universities are excellent. The research is excellent. The ideas are there. What's missing is the step from idea to industrial scale. “We have lost speed in making these ideas industrial products and bringing them to industrial scale. That is often the step that's missing.” So Plastics Europe Deutschland is turning the perspective around: from material volume…
S4 · E8 · 23 Jul 2026 · 48 min
The Plastic That Fades Away, and Ends Up Saving Coral Reefs
What started as an effort to create a better alternative to conventional plastic straws led to something nobody expected. In this episode, we speak with Brad Laporte and Michael Winters from WinCup, the team behind PHADE®—a PHA-based material designed to biodegrade in environments where conventional plastics persist. Along the way, they discovered an entirely unexpected application: helping researchers restore coral reefs by protecting young corals during their most vulnerable stage. Together, we discuss: - How bacteria can produce the next generation of plastics - Why they chose PHA over…
S4 · E7 · 1 Jul 2026 · 38 min
Are Circular Plastics Ready for the Mainstream?
Circular plastics have moved beyond pilot projects. Today, companies are investing in mechanical recycling, chemical recycling, renewable feedstocks, and even CO₂-based materials. But are these solutions ready to scale—and what will it take to make them mainstream? In this episode, we sit down with Stephan Roest, Head of Circular Economy Business Development at Borouge International. Having spent many years at Borealis, Stephan brings a unique perspective on how the plastics industry is evolving—from linear production towards truly circular value chains. Together, we discuss: What it takes…
S4 · E6 · 9 Jun 2026 · 55 min
Is Seaweed a New Hope for Sustainable Packaging?
In this episode, we speak with Neil Morris, founder of Kelpi, about how seaweed-based materials could help reshape the future of packaging — and what it really takes to move beyond fossil-based plastics. We discuss: Why seaweed is attracting attention as a renewable feedstock The challenge of scaling sustainable packaging solutions How brands are approaching next-generation materials The realities behind replacing conventional plastics Why infrastructure, economics, and regulation matter as much as innovation What makes this conversation especially interesting is that it moves beyond hype.…
S4 · E5 · 16 Apr 2026 · 37 min
Is Plastic Recycling in Europe Really Broken?
What if the problem isn’t that we’re failing to recycle, but that the system itself is working against it? In this episode, we speak with Joan Marc Simon, founder of Zero Waste Europe and one of the leading voices shaping circular economy policy across the EU. With decades of experience bridging grassroots action and European regulation, he brings a sharp and often uncomfortable perspective on what’s really happening behind the scenes of plastic recycling. Note: This conversation was recorded prior to recent developments in the Middle East impacting global oil and plastics markets. From…
S4 · E4 · 24 Mar 2026 · 43 min
Can Design Thinking Change the Future of Plastics?
What if the future of plastics doesn’t start in a lab, but in a design studio? In this episode of Plastic. Climate. Future., we speak with Beat Karrer, founder of FluidSolids, who took an unconventional path from industrial design into material innovation — developing high-performance materials made entirely from waste streams. From corn cobs to coffee waste, his work challenges a fundamental assumption: that plastics must come from fossil resources. We explore: How waste streams can become high-performance material feedstock Why design thinking is a powerful (and often overlooked) driver of…
S4 · E3 · 3 Mar 2026 · 41 min
Electrifying the Future: Can Power Drive Circularity?
Circularity isn’t just about materials. It’s about energy. In this episode of Plastic. Climate. Future., we speak with Constantine Lau from Schneider Electric, who is leading electrification strategies for some of the world’s most energy-intensive industries. With decades of experience across oil, gas, and chemicals, Constantine shares why the shift from managing molecules to managing electrons may be one of the most underestimated levers for circular transformation. We explore: Why electrification is central to scaling circular systems How digitalization and energy management reshape…
S4 · E2 · 19 Feb 2026 · 53 min
Are Enzymes the Missing Link in Plastics Circularity?
What if the breakthrough in plastic recycling doesn’t come from higher temperatures or bigger reactors — but from biology? In this episode of Plastic. Climate. Future., we speak with Oliver Borek from Entzimatiko, a company developing a novel enzymatic technology that goes beyond conventional chemical recycling. Their approach combines enzyme engineering, nano-encapsulation, and oxidation in a single-step process — operating at ambient conditions and targeting even the toughest materials, including polyolefins. We explore: Why polyolefins have long been considered “uncrackable” — and what…
S4 · E1 · 21 Jan 2026 · 45 min
The Packaging Puzzle: Will Digital Twins Bring Us Closer to Circularity?
We’re kicking off the next series of Plastic. Climate. Future. — — a 12-month journey exploring the innovations, systems, and people shaping a circular plastics economy. : : ? We kick things off by tackling a major roadblock on the path to circularity: packaging systems that lack transparency, traceability, and integration. Our guests — Valeria Masci and Ignacio Fernández-Pacheco Ruiz from the MAGNO project — share how advanced modeling and data tools are helping map packaging flows, identify inefficiencies, and design solutions that actually work at scale. : Why packaging data is fragmented…
S3 · E12 · 7 Jan 2026 · 19 min
YEAR-END WRAP UP (2025)
New Year, New Episode – But First, Let’s Rewind. . . . – - (2025) We’re kicking off 2026 with something different: a raw, reflective conversation about the episodes that changed how we think about circularity. Three people. Three generations. Three completely different favorite episodes: Katarina (our brilliant marketing lead, now finally on mic) chose Voices of the Ocean — where individual action becomes global data. Ocean Conservancy proved that beach cleanups aren’t symbolic — they’re strategic. John picked Chemical Recycling Europe and Antero’s Legacy — long-term vision over short-term…
S3 · E11 · 11 Nov 2025 · 42 min
Is This the Most Unexpected Sustainable Material Yet?
What began as a curious design experiment has grown into a pioneering materials company, one that’s rethinking circularity, material value, and how we deal with overlooked waste streams. In this episode, we speak with Zsofia Kollar, founder of Human Material Loop, a startup turning human hair waste into high-performance textile fibers for the interior and design industries. From salon floors to acoustic panels, Zsofia shares how their material innovation — Adara fiber — is entering the market with a low-carbon footprint, strong performance, and zero microplastics. : -How creative design…
S3 · E10 · 16 Oct 2025 · 51 min
The Lignin Solution: From Forestry Waste to Plastic Innovation
What if plastic could be made — not from fossil fuels — but from forestry residues? In this episode of Plastic Climate Future, we speak with Fredrik Malmfors, CEO of Lignin Industries, about how this abundant, underused natural material is being transformed into a scalable alternative to traditional plastics. With roots in consulting and food supply chains, Fredrik shares his personal journey to biopolymers — and how lignin-based materials can deliver performance, circularity, and value, from trucks to e-commerce packaging. Why tune in: - What makes lignin a game-changer in the bioplastics…
S3 · E9 · 23 Sep 2025 · 48 min
Is This the Future of Sustainable Food Packaging?
In this episode, we speak with Ved Krishna, the visionary behind Pakka, a company creating compostable food packaging from sugarcane waste — and aiming to scale regenerative packaging across the food industry. With deep roots in India and global ambitions, Ved shares how Pakka is building local supply chains, designing for true end-of-use, and why they’ve chosen to stay laser-focused on just one thing: food packaging. What we explore: - What regenerative packaging means in practice - Why scalability and pricing still challenge bio-based solutions - How values, design, and market pressure…
S3 · E8 · 3 Sep 2025 · 38 min
Conference Countdown: Why CRE Forum 2025 Matters Now
In this episode of Plastic Climate Future, we speak with Valentijn de Neve, CEO of BlueAlp and President of Chemical Recycling Europe, ahead of the ( ) — taking place 16 September in Brussels, with a networking reception on the evening of 15 September. — ?This episode unpacks why the upcoming forum isn’t just another industry meetup — it’s a strategic moment for anyone serious about the future of circular plastics in Europe: What sets CREF 2025 apart — and why it comes at a critical time How regulation, innovation, and demand are aligning to drive real change What to expect — and why it’s…
S3 · E7 · 20 Aug 2025 · 41 min
Circular by Design: What It Takes to Rethink Plastics
In this episode of Plastic Climate Future, we speak with Dr. Christine Bunte, Managing Director of Plastics Europe, about what it really means to make plastics circular — and why achieving it is far more complex than simply recycling more. Christine brings a unique perspective, blending a background in polymer chemistry with years in public affairs, now representing Europe’s plastics producers at the center of policy and industry change. What we explore: Why “well-made” packaging can be more sustainable than we think The role of chemical and mechanical recycling in scaling circularity How…
S3 · E6 · 24 Jul 2025 · 50 min
Policy Meets Practice: Scaling Circularity Through Regulation
In this episode of Plastic Climate Future, we speak with Olivier Van Volden, a leading expert in plastics regulation and circular policy across Belgium and the EU. With a PhD in polymer science and a career spanning sustainable logistics, packaging legislation, and industry advocacy, Olivier shares how regulation can both enable and challenge the transition toward circularity. This episode also marks a milestone for our team: for the first time, Pedro Guincho steps behind the microphone to lead the discussion. Together, they explore what it takes to align EU legislation with on-the-ground…
S3 · E5 · 26 Jun 2025 · 49 min
Voices of the Ocean: Turning Trash and Data into Action
What if every bottle cap, cigarette butt, or food wrapper washed up on a beach was more than just waste? What if it represented a data point, a story, and a call to action? In this episode of Plastic Climate Future, we speak with Sarah Weller from Ocean Conservancy, whose work transforms global beach cleanups into one of the world’s most extensive sources of data on ocean pollution. From her early experiences diving in the Bahamas to leading the International Coastal Cleanup, Sarah shares how community-driven action, digital tools, and science communication are reshaping the movement toward…

About Plastic. Climate. Future.

Plastic. Climate. Future. is a English tech & science podcast from Mat Wielopolski & John Sewell. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Mat Wielopolski & John Sewell
Language: English
Category: Tech & Science
New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 41 min
Latest episode: 13 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1603907973

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