Plastic. Climate. Future.

What started as an effort to create a better alternative to conventional plastic straws led to something nobody expected.
In this episode, we speak with Brad Laporte and Michael Winters from WinCup, the team behind PHADE®—a PHA-based material designed to biodegrade in environments where conventional plastics persist. Along the way, they discovered an entirely unexpected application: helping researchers restore coral reefs by protecting young corals during their most vulnerable stage.
Together, we discuss:
- How bacteria can produce the next generation of plastics
- Why they chose PHA over paper straws
- The surprising connection between biodegradable plastics and coral restoration
- What it takes to bring a new material from the lab to billions of products
- Why science, certification, and performance matter in building trust
This is a fascinating conversation about material innovation, unexpected discoveries, and how one idea can solve problems far beyond its original purpose.
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Circular plastics have moved beyond pilot projects. Today, companies are investing in mechanical recycling, chemical recycling, renewable feedstocks, and even CO₂-based materials. But are these solutions ready to scale—and what will it take to make them mainstream?
In this episode, we sit down with Stephan Roest, Head of Circular Economy Business Development at Borouge International. Having spent many years at Borealis, Stephan brings a unique perspective on how the plastics industry is evolving—from linear production towards truly circular value chains.
Together, we discuss:
What it takes to scale circular plastics
The roles of mechanical and chemical recycling
Renewable and alternative carbon feedstocks
Why collaboration across the value chain is essential
How regulation, innovation, and market demand are shaping the industry's future
This is an insightful conversation about the opportunities (and the challenges) of making circular plastics part of the mainstream.
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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 feedstock
The challenge of scaling sustainable packaging solutions
How brands are approaching next-generation materials
The realities behind replacing conventional plastics
Why infrastructure, economics, and regulation matter as much as innovation
What 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.
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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 targets
How global oversupply is undermining local circular systems
The role of policy, economics, and unintended consequences
Whether we need to rethink not just recycling, but plastic production itself
A thought-provoking conversation that goes beyond the surface — and asks whether we’re solving the right problem at all.
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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 feedstock
Why design thinking is a powerful (and often overlooked) driver of material innovation
What it takes to scale new materials — from pilot to industrial production
Why circularity depends on systems, not just materials
A refreshing and grounded perspective on what it really takes to rethink plastics, not just replace them.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!