Rethinking How We Innovate Materials

More from Plastic. Climate. Future. All episodes →

1. 

   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…

2. 

   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…

3. 

   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…

4. 

   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…

5. 

   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…

6. 

   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…

7. 

   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…

8. 

   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…

9. 

   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…

10. 

    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.…