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Trash Talk
Trash Talk is the podcast for people building a better future for waste and recycling.
It’s a space for honest conversations with the folks doing the work—operators, founders, engineers, and changemakers. We’re talking about what’s really going on in the industry. From new tech and tools to regulation headaches, biogas systems, C&D recycling, and everything in between.
Trash Talk isn’t just a podcast. It’s a growing community for people who care about doing things differently. If you’re in the sector or just curious about what goes on behind the bins, you’re in the right place.
Tune in, join the conversation, and subscribe to stay up-to date.
Trash Talk
Making Sense of Recycling Reform - Dr Adam Read MBE (#006)
Welcome to a special live edition of Trash Talk, filmed at ESS 2025. ♻️
In this episode we sit down with Dr. Adam Read MBE, Chief Sustainability Officer at SUEZ and one of the most influential voices in UK waste policy, to explore what it really takes to turn environmental ambition into real world action.
From litter picking at school to shaping national recycling reform, Adam’s career spans decades of leadership across government, consultancy, and corporate strategy, and he is not afraid to tackle the hard truths holding the circular economy back.
We cover:
• Why policy ambition often fails at implementation
• The truth about EPR, DRS, and Simpler Recycling
• How to rebuild public trust in recycling
• Why politicians still fear the green agenda
• The elephant in the room, consumption
• And what the waste sector will look like by 2060
Filmed live at ESS 2025, this conversation cuts through the jargon to reveal how communication, collaboration, and courage can shape a truly circular future.
Massive thanks to Dr. Adam Read MBE for joining us live and sharing his insight on what it will take to make waste management and resource efficiency mainstream.