About this episode

The episode discusses the implications of the UK government's delay in introducing kerbside collections for flexible plastics and its impact on recycling efforts.

In 2022, the Government committed to introducing kerbside collections for flexible plastics by 2027. Last week, that deadline was pushed back to 2030, a decision that has left James and Robbie, who have spent years preparing for the original timeline, deeply frustrated. In this episode, we unpack what the delay means for one of the UK's most challenging waste streams, why it matters for consumers and the recycling industry, and how postponing collections could create a vicious cycle that hold...

People in this episode

Hosts: James Piper, Robbie Staniforth

Topics covered

• recycling
• plastic waste
• government policy
• environmental impact
• consumer behavior

Keywords

• flexible plastic
• recycling
• kerbside collection
• waste management
• government policy

Mentioned in this episode

Places: UK

More episodes of Talking Rubbish - The Recycling Podcast

• 110. Have we been talking about the environment all wrong? With Lucy Siegle · September 2, 2026 · 54 min
• 109. Why recycling labels are about to get more confusing · August 26, 2026 · 58 min
• 108. Why are we sending so much plastic to Turkey? · August 19, 2026 · 58 min
• 107. Why our bins keep catching fire · August 12, 2026 · 60 min
• 106. Why your fridge is making you waste food · August 5, 2026 · 60 min
• 105. The free food app rescuing millions of meals, with Tessa Clarke from Olio · July 29, 2026 · 60 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Talking Rubbish - The Recycling Podcast podcast page.