99. Why cartons aren’t being recycled

2026-06-18

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Cartons are a staple of everyday life, but they're far more complicated than they appear. Made from layers of paper, plastic and sometimes aluminium, they're designed to keep food fresh and lightweight to transport, but that same design makes them challenging to recycle. Following recent news that the UK's carton recycling capacity has taken a significant hit, we explore why cartons became so popular, why they're often seen as a sustainable packaging choice, and what really happens after you put one in...

Join hosts James Piper and Robbie Staniforth as they delve into the world of recycling, hopefully having fun along the way. One thing is for sure, they will talk absolute rubbish from start to finish.

We would like to have an evening Talking Rubbish to celebrate the official release of our 100th episode. We are holding it at Artists Residence in Bristol on the evening of the 3rd July (from 6pm), to let us know if you can make it, book your place on Eventbrite

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Transcripts and episodes can be found on the Talking Rubbish website

Timestamps:
Why cartons aren't being recycled in the UK - 05:31
Additions and corrections - 29:00
Rubbish or Not: energy gel wrappers - 38:53
Rubbish News - 44:30
Are heavily printed cans recyclable? - 49:01
Residual Rubbish - 53:02

Music licence ID: 6WPY8Q4O2RPFIOTL

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