The Energy from Waste Podcast

What will it take to build a viable plastics recycling market in the UK, and is current policy giving industry enough certainty to invest? In the latest EfW Net Podcast, host Stephen Wise is joined by Grahame Woods, Head of Policy at Viridor, and Jamie Warmington, Director at Ceres Waste, Renewables and Environment, to explore the challenges facing UK plastics recycling infrastructure. The conversation looks at the impact of recent policy delays, including changes to the timetable for the UK Emissions Trading Scheme and the collection of flexible plastics, and what that uncertainty means for investment in new recycling capacity. Grahame and Jamie also discuss the economics behind mechanical and chemical recycling, the challenge of developing reliable markets for recycled materials, and why recycled plastics continue to struggle to compete with cheaper virgin polymers. The discussion also covers: • Creating stronger markets for recycled plastics• The investment challenge facing new recycling infrastructure• Chemical recycling and the potential role of pyrolysis oil• Why policy certainty matters for long-term infrastructure projects• End-of-waste rules and regulatory barriers• UK and European recycling markets and policy alignment• Traceability, transparency and waste crime• Oil price volatility and its impact on recycled versus virgin plastics• How policy could better incentivise plastics-to-plastics recycling With recycling infrastructure taking years to finance, develop and build, the episode asks a fundamental question: how can government and industry create the long-term conditions needed to make investment in UK plastics recycling stack up? For more industry news, podcasts, articles and events, visit EfW Net at network.efwconference.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it take to turn an energy-from-waste or anaerobic digestion proposal into a viable, investable project? In this episode of the Energy from Waste Podcast, Georgie Green visits Paul Winter Consulting in Andover to speak with founder Paul Winter. Drawing on more than 40 years of experience delivering major infrastructure projects, Paul explains how his team supports investors and developers from initial feasibility and financial modelling through to construction, commissioning and handover. They discuss the UK’s growing energy-security challenge, the importance of reliable baseload power and the role energy from waste and large-scale anaerobic digestion could play alongside wind, solar and nuclear energy. Paul also explores why waste should increasingly be viewed as a valuable energy resource, the challenges of securing investment, and the planning, permitting and regulatory hurdles that can delay projects before construction has even begun. The conversation also examines carbon capture, including its cost, the lack of a mature market for captured carbon and the need for practical infrastructure to support ambitious net-zero targets. Listen now to discover how carbon capture could help shape the future of Energy from Waste and the UK's low-carbon economy. For more industry news, podcasts, articles and events, visit EfW Net at network.efwconference.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of The Energy from Waste Podcast, we're joined by Nick Henderson, Communications Manager, Andy Bedford, Low Carbon Development Director, and Alex Hudson, Senior Development Manager at Encyclis, to discuss the UK's first full-scale carbon capture project at an Energy from Waste facility – Protos. The conversation explores how carbon capture technology is being integrated into Energy from Waste operations, the challenges of delivering a first-of-a-kind infrastructure project, and why Protos could play a significant role in the UK's journey towards net zero. The guests also discuss the importance of public understanding, government support, investment, and the wider opportunities carbon capture presents for jobs, skills and future industrial growth. From infrastructure and policy to innovation and decarbonisation, this episode provides a fascinating insight into one of the most significant developments currently taking place in the UK Energy from Waste sector. Listen now to discover how carbon capture could help shape the future of Energy from Waste and the UK's low-carbon economy. For more industry news, podcasts, articles and events, visit EfW Net at network.efwconference.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Waste crime remains one of the biggest challenges facing the UK waste and resource sector, costing taxpayers millions while causing significant environmental harm. In this episode of the EfW Podcast, host Dr Stephen Wise is joined by Dr Anna Willetts, Partner at Gunnercooke, and Gareth Rollings, Head of Waste at West Sussex County Council and Chair of the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC), to explore the scale of the problem and why it continues to persist. The discussion examines recent developments in waste crime enforcement, the growing number of large-scale illegal waste sites being uncovered, and the challenges faced by regulators, local authorities and landowners. Anna and Gareth share their perspectives on where current approaches are falling short, the impact on communities and taxpayers, and whether recent government initiatives will be enough to make a meaningful difference. They also explore the economics behind waste crime, the role of organised criminal activity, the difficulties of tracing responsibility through complex waste supply chains, and the importance of prevention rather than simply dealing with the consequences once sites have been established. From fly-tipping and illegal waste operations to enforcement powers, regulation and future policy, this conversation provides a candid look at one of the most pressing issues facing the waste sector today. For more industry news, podcasts, articles and events, visit the EfW Network at network.efwconference.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Stephen Wise speaks with Emma Beal, Director at All We Have Ltd, about how better waste data can shape policy, support local authorities and help the sector prepare for ETS, digital waste tracking and a lower-carbon future.Stephen Wise speaks with Emma Beal, Director at All We Have Ltd, about how better waste data can shape policy, support local authorities and help the sector prepare for ETS, digital waste tracking and a lower-carbon future.In this episode:The evolution of waste data and why it mattersData gaps between local authorities and operatorsTurning data into better decisions and quick winsFood waste, carbon impact and shifting prioritiesThe challenge of flexible plastics and future infrastructureWhat ETS means for local authorities and contractsThe changing role of energy from wasteDigital tracking, transparency and tackling waste crimeThe role of AI in managing growing data complexityYou can also watch this episode on network.efwconference.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the EfW Net Podcast, host Alban Forster speaks with Charoula Melliou, Deputy Secretary General at the European Suppliers of Waste-to-Energy Technology (ESWET).The discussion explores how policy and regulation are influencing the direction of the Energy from Waste sector across the UK and Europe. Topics include the role of EfW within the circular economy, differences between UK and EU policy approaches, and how legislation, market signals and investment frameworks are shaping the sector’s future.Charoula also shares insights on recycling policy, landfill methane emissions, and emerging European legislation, highlighting the importance of clear and consistent policy signals to support long-term infrastructure and decarbonisation strategies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Visit EfW Net for more podcasts, policy insight and the latest updates from across the Energy from Waste sector.As emissions trading moves closer for Energy from Waste, local authorities are asking practical questions: how will carbon be measured, how will costs be allocated, and who ultimately carries the risk?In this episode, Dr. Stephen Wise is joined by Jarno Stet, Waste & Recycling Manager at Westminster City Council and Secretary of the National Association of Waste Disposal Officers (NAWDO). They explore what ETS means for councils and operators, from budgeting under a fluctuating carbon price, to the challenge of linking stack emissions back to individual waste streams, and the risk of overly complex measurement and sampling requirements.Jarno also sets ETS in the wider reality of residual waste management, arguing that ETS can’t be the only lever, and that upstream waste reduction and clearer producer responsibility will be key to avoiding unintended impacts on local services.Many of the themes raised in this episode will also be explored in more detail at the Energy from Waste Conference 2026, taking place in London March 4th, where industry leaders will come together to examine the EfW sector.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alban Forster speaks with Mike Maudsley, CEO of enfinium, on carbon removals, CCS business models and why EfW could become a net-negative powerhouseIn this episode of the Energy from Waste podcast, host Alban Forster is joined by Mike Maudsley, Chief Executive Officer of enfinium, to explore how carbon capture and carbon removals could reshape the future of EfW in the UK.Drawing on enfinium’s operational scale and long-term investment outlook, Mike explains why energy from waste is uniquely positioned to deliver negative emissions, how carbon capture can become commercially viable, and why residual waste will remain part of the system even as recycling improves. The conversation also looks beyond CCS alone, examining the role of heat networks, private wire energy solutions, and emerging technologies that could reduce the cost and energy intensity of carbon capture over time.From infrastructure and policy timelines to carbon pricing, innovation and investment confidence, this episode offers a practical and optimistic view of how EfW can play a leading role in the UK’s net zero transition, not just today, but over the next decade and beyond.Many of the themes raised in this episode will also be explored in more detail at the Energy from Waste Conference 2026, taking place in London March 4th, where industry leaders will come together to examine the EfW sector.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New EfW Net podcast host Alban Forster speaks with ESA’s Jacob Hayler on the key issues shaping the new 2026 podcast series.In the first EfW Net podcast of 2026, new host Alban Forster is joined by Jacob Hayler, Executive Director of the Environmental Services Association, for a wide-ranging discussion on the challenges and opportunities facing the Energy from Waste sector. The conversation explores how carbon pricing and the UK Emissions Trading Scheme may influence operational behaviour, the role of policy certainty in driving long-term investment, and the balance between front-end waste decarbonisation and back-end solutions such as carbon capture.Drawing on the ESA’s perspective across the full waste and recycling value chain, the episode sets the scene for deeper dives in upcoming podcasts, touching on plastics, landfill diversion, regulatory alignment and the practical realities of delivering a circular economy at scale. It offers valuable context for operators, policymakers and investors navigating an increasingly complex transition period for EfW.Many of the themes raised in this episode will also be explored in more detail at the Energy from Waste Conference 2026, taking place in London March 4th, where industry leaders will come together to examine the EfW sector.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the sixth episode of the Energy from Waste Podcast, brought to you by the Energy from Waste Network.Every couple of episodes, we are joined by a new host and their episode guest. For this episode, our host is Dr. Stephen Wise, Director at Ceres Waste, Renewables, and Environment, and his guest - Jamie Warmington, a waste and resource management specialist with over 14 years’ experience in the waste sector.In this episode, they explore how new policy, carbon costs and technology are reshaping how we sort waste. From AI-driven sorting to ETS incentives, they unpack what’s next for innovation in the EfW sector.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.