Plastic. Climate. Future.

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 production — turning waste into a new raw material. But technology alone doesn’t create a circular economy. Scaling requires reliable waste streams, sorting infrastructure, customers, investment and an ecosystem capable of bringing all of those pieces together. We discuss: How matterr’s technology tackles complex polyester waste that conventional recycling struggles with What it takes to move from a pilot plant to industrial scale Why circular materials have to compete with linear production systems optimized over decades — and the role regulation and investment can play in enabling the transition Why Germany’s infrastructure, expertise and industrial ecosystem can provide a strong foundation for scaling the next generation of circular technologies The technology is there. The need is clear. The challenge is taking circular solutions from promising innovations to competitive industrial scale. Because for circular technologies to matterr, they have to scale. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

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 ingredients is not enough. The challenge now is to move faster and get into the “do stage.” We discuss: Why plastics and material competence are essential to Germany’s High-Tech Agenda — from e-mobility and renewable energy to electronics and robotics What industry needs from policymakers — including competitive energy, infrastructure, less bureaucracy and stronger incentives for transformation What progress could realistically look like three years from now — and why transforming industrial competitiveness will take time This week, many of these ideas will take center stage at the innovation press conference in Berlin, bringing together voices from industry, startups and academia to discuss the future competitiveness of Germany’s plastics industry. The capabilities are there. The innovation is there. Now the question is how to turn Germany’s industrial strength into action. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

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. 𝗪𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀: How the plastics industry — and the way we talk about it — has changed over the past three decades Why today’s combination of climate, waste, energy and competitiveness challenges makes this transformation different How innovation ecosystems connecting startups, academia and established industry can help Germany and Europe reinvent the sector Why circularity, material sovereignty and the right policy environment are becoming increasingly important for Europe’s industrial future Despite the scale of the challenges, Michael remains optimistic. The knowledge, infrastructure and innovative capacity are there. The task now is to connect these strengths and create the conditions for the industry to reinvent itself. Listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

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 new material safety challenges Why developing a new flame retardant can take five to ten years from the initial idea to commercial scale How fire safety and circularity can be reconciled, and why durability and recyclability sometimes create difficult trade-offs How sustainability and regulation are changing the way new chemistries are developed Why even more sustainable solutions still need a viable business case and market acceptance It’s a fascinating reminder that some of the technologies enabling innovation are almost invisible in the final product. We may never see the chemistry, but without it, many of the materials and technologies we rely on would not perform as safely as they do. Listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

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 GreencyclingTechnologies , 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 as feedstock for new plastics What it takes to scale chemical recycling from technology to industrial reality Why regulation and market demand will be critical to creating a viable circular economy How making better use of our own plastic waste can strengthen Europe’s resource resilience and industrial competitiveness One thing becomes clear: Europe already has a significant resource in its plastic waste. The question is how we make better use of it. Listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

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 cableshigh-voltage power cables, including HVDC systems, to transport electricity over long distances Why these technologies are increasingly important as we connect renewable energy generation to the grid How advanced materials are helping improve district heating infrastructure The role of recycled and bio-based feedstocksThe role of post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials and bio-circular feedstocks, and the challenge of combining circularity with demanding technical performance Why collaboration across the value chain is essential to bring new solutions into real-world infrastructure Many of these materials remain almost invisible in our everyday lives — yet they play an essential role in making our energy systems more efficient, durable and ready for the future. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

New episode of our series with Plastics Europe Deutschland, exploring “What HighTech is made of – Plastics as the Enablers of German Innovation Goals,” i s 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, f ounder 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 between startups, research and established industry How AI, digitalization and data are changing the way new compounds and materials are developed What Germany needs to remain competitive as a location for material innovation Why speed, experimentation and a willingness to take risks matter for the next generation of materials Because ultimately, innovation isn’t only about discovering new materials. It’s also about rethinking how we develop them and bring them into industry. Listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

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 feedstock for new polymers. We talk about what it really takes to bring circularity to industrial scale — from transforming existing production sites and integrating new technologies into established operations, to creating the conditions that allow these investments to succeed. And we explore why the transition will depend not only on new technology, but also on infrastructure, expertise, regulation and demand. As Daniel puts it: “Circularity is not really only a technology question.” And perhaps that is the bigger story: transforming the plastics industry doesn’t necessarily mean starting again from scratch. It can also mean using the infrastructure, expertise and people we already have to build something new. This is the first episode in our new mini-series exploring the innovative spirit of Germany’s plastics and polymer industry — and the people turning transformation into industrial reality. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

Germany doesn't have an ideas problem. Eight years of shrinking industrial production. Christine Bunt e, 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 to material competence. Plastics not as the villain, but as the invisible key technology behind Germany's future industries. From today, our series “What Hightech Is Made Of” — following the seven fields of Germany's Hightech-Agenda, with the people actually building the solutions. Every Tuesday and Thursday, through to the innovation press conference in Berlin on 11 September. Here a short preview of what’s coming: - How mixed plastic waste becomes raw material again - at industrial scale, inside a working chemical park. - Why finding the right formulation used to take months and now takes minutes. - What's inside a power cable and why it decides how much wind energy actually arrives. - Why no electric car moves without flame retardants. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!

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 paper straws - The surprising connection between biodegradable plastics and coral restoration - What it takes to bring a new material from the lab to billions of products - Why science, certification, and performance matter in building trust This is a fascinating conversation about material innovation, unexpected discoveries, and how one idea can solve problems far beyond its original purpose. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!

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 to scale circular plastics The roles of mechanical and chemical recycling Renewable and alternative carbon feedstocks Why collaboration across the value chain is essential How regulation, innovation, and market demand are shaping the industry's future This is an insightful conversation about the opportunities (and the challenges) of making circular plastics part of the mainstream. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!

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. Neil shares the practical realities of building a materials startup in one of the world’s most challenging industries — packaging. At Plastic Climate Future , we believe serious conversations about plastics, climate, circularity, and innovation need nuance, not slogans. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!

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 oversupply and global market dynamics to policy design and economic realities, this conversation challenges some of the most widely held assumptions about circularity. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲: Why plastic recycling in Europe is struggling — despite ambitious targets How global oversupply is undermining local circular systems The role of policy, economics, and unintended consequences Whether we need to rethink not just recycling, but plastic production itself A thought-provoking conversation that goes beyond the surface — and asks whether we’re solving the right problem at all. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!

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 material innovation What it takes to scale new materials — from pilot to industrial production Why circularity depends on systems, not just materials A refreshing and grounded perspective on what it really takes to rethink plastics, not just replace them. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!

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 industrial operations The connection between decarbonization and circularity Why ROI and regulatory clarity must align for real impact A strategic, forward-looking conversation about how energy systems and circular systems are more connected than we often think. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!

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 may be changing How enzymatic machinery differs from pyrolysis and hydrothermal methods What low-temperature, solvent-free processing could mean for cost and scalability Why competitiveness with fossil equivalents is critical for real impact The roadmap to commercial scale by 2030 A fascinating conversation about science, risk, and what it takes to move breakthrough technology from lab to market. If circularity is to scale, innovation must go beyond incremental change. This episode dives into what that could look like. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!

We’re kicking off the next series of Plastic. Climate. Future. —𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐚 𝐂𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 — a 12-month journey exploring the innovations, systems, and people shaping a circular plastics economy. 𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝟏: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝘂𝘇𝘇𝗹𝗲: 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗨𝘀 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆? 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. 𝗪𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲: Why packaging data is fragmented — and how digital twins could help What it takes to trace, model, and redesign circular flows How collaboration across brands, suppliers, and policymakers is both the challenge and the opportunity A forward-looking start to a year of ideas that move us from ambition to action.

New Year, New Episode – But First, Let’s Rewind. 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰. 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲. 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲. – 𝙔𝙚𝙖𝙧-𝙀𝙣𝙙 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙥 𝙀𝙥𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙙𝙚 (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 ROI. Antero’s story showed us that innovation is built by people, not just technology. Mat went with BASF ’s Mass Balance and WILDPLASTIC ’s Ground Game — the two sides of circularity that can’t exist without each other. BASF showed us industrial transformation isn’t greenwashing when it’s certified, audited, and scaled, while WILDPLASTIC reminded us that humility + commitment > flashy headlines. And yes, we end by singing our jingle. Badly. You’re welcome. Looking ahead to 2026: We’re doubling down. More episodes. Tighter focus. One red thread: circularity in action. We’re diving into: Plastics & health – the risks we can’t ignore Bio-based innovation – beyond the hype Systemic change – from waste collectors to chemical giants This isn’t just a podcast. It’s a platform for the innovators, engineers, founders, and policymakers who refuse to wait for perfect solutions when practical ones exist today. We’re here to amplify the voices shaping a circular future. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

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. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲: -How creative design thinking can unlock new material value - Why human hair is a clean, untapped feedstock for textiles - How Adara compares to wool and polyester in real LCA numbers 🎧 Listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

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 landscape - How Lignin Industries is building scalable, recyclable solutions - What’s next for bio-based plastics and policy support in Europe