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!

🎙️ A new chapter begins.

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.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!

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

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 intersect in packaging

A refreshing, candid, and at times radical take on what it really takes to change the system — and why it’s worth doing.

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 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘂𝗺 (𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗙 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱) — taking place 16 September in Brussels, with a networking reception on the evening of 15 September.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 — 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗙 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗿?
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 worth being in the room

Register now: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/chemical-recycling-europe-forum-2025-tickets-1362718530809?aff=oddtdtcreator

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 cost, innovation, and regulation intersect — and where the bottlenecks are

• Why making circularity attractive to consumers is just as critical as policy targets

🎧 Listen to the full episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!

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 innovation — and why the path to a circular future remains full of roadblocks.

What we explore:

• How the EU’s Green Deal and packaging rules are influencing innovation

• Why complexity and uncertainty are holding back circular scale-up

• The risk of losing industrial leadership to other global regions

• What a more effective, purpose-driven regulatory framework could look like

🎧 Listen to the full episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!