Plastic. Climate. Future.

Hosted by Mat Wielopolski & John Sewell

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Plastic. Climate. Future. enables engagement among industry members, climate activists, innovators, and the rest of world (the general public) to ultimately achieve positive changes related to plastic and the climate. In their podcast, Mat & John host guests from these groups of stakeholders and talk about their views, activities and opinions to foster trustful communication and learn from each other. Check out more at www.plasticclimatefuture.com

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June 9, 2026Episode 654 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 feedstockThe challenge of scaling sustainable packaging solutionsHow brands are approaching next-generation materialsThe realities behind replacing conventional plasticsWhy infrastructure, economics, and regulation matter as much as innovationWhat 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!

April 16, 2026Episode 536 min

Is Plastic Recycling in Europe Really Broken?

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 targetsHow global oversupply is undermining local circular systemsThe role of policy, economics, and unintended consequencesWhether we need to rethink not just recycling, but plastic production itselfA 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!

March 24, 2026Episode 442 min

Can Design Thinking Change the Future of Plastics?

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 feedstockWhy design thinking is a powerful (and often overlooked) driver of material innovationWhat it takes to scale new materials — from pilot to industrial productionWhy circularity depends on systems, not just materialsA refreshing and grounded perspective on what it really takes to rethink plastics, not just replace them.🎧 Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!

March 3, 2026Episode 340 min

Electrifying the Future: Can Power Drive Circularity?

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 systemsHow digitalization and energy management reshape industrial operationsThe connection between decarbonization and circularityWhy ROI and regulatory clarity must align for real impactA 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!

February 19, 2026Episode 252 min

Are Enzymes the Missing Link in Plastics Circularity?

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 changingHow enzymatic machinery differs from pyrolysis and hydrothermal methodsWhat low-temperature, solvent-free processing could mean for cost and scalabilityWhy competitiveness with fossil equivalents is critical for real impactThe roadmap to commercial scale by 2030A 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!

January 21, 2026Episode 144 min

The Packaging Puzzle: Will Digital Twins Bring Us Closer to Circularity?

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 helpWhat it takes to trace, model, and redesign circular flowsHow collaboration across brands, suppliers, and policymakers is both the challenge and the opportunityA forward-looking start to a year of ideas that move us from ambition to action.

January 7, 2026Episode 1219 min

YEAR-END WRAP UP (2025)

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 ignoreBio-based innovation – beyond the hypeSystemic change – from waste collectors to chemical giantsThis 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!

November 11, 2025Episode 1141 min

Is This the Most Unexpected Sustainable Material Yet?

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!

October 16, 2025Episode 1050 min

The Lignin Solution: From Forestry Waste to Plastic Innovation

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

September 23, 2025Episode 947 min

Is This the Future of Sustainable Food Packaging?

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