Plastic. Climate. Future.

Germany’s future technologies share one common denominator: plastics. In our series with Plastics Europe Deutschland, we talk to the people turning that into solutions — from material volume to material competence, the core idea behind The Plastic Shift.
For our first company conversation, we sit down with Daniel Koch from LyondellBasell to look at what circularity means when it moves beyond the lab and into industrial reality.
At LyondellBasell’s Wesseling site, the company is building its first industrial-scale MoReTec plant, designed to turn difficult-to-recycle mixed plastic waste into feedstock for new polymers.
We talk about what it really takes to bring circularity to industrial scale — from transforming existing production sites and integrating new technologies into established operations, to creating the conditions that allow these investments to succeed. And we explore why the transition will depend not only on new technology, but also on infrastructure, expertise, regulation and demand.
As Daniel puts it:
“Circularity is not really only a technology question.”
And perhaps that is the bigger story: transforming the plastics industry doesn’t necessarily mean starting again from scratch. It can also mean using the infrastructure, expertise and people we already have to build something new.
This is the first episode in our new mini-series exploring the innovative spirit of Germany’s plastics and polymer industry — and the people turning transformation into industrial reality.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

Germany doesn't have an ideas problem.

Eight years of shrinking industrial production. Christine Bunte, Managing Director of Plastics Europe Deutschland, calls it what it is: not an economic dip, but a structural crisis.

And yet — the universities are excellent. The research is excellent. The ideas are there. What's missing is the step from idea to industrial scale.

“We have lost speed in making these ideas industrial products and bringing them to industrial scale. That is often the step that's missing.”

So Plastics Europe Deutschland is turning the perspective around: from material volume to material competence. Plastics not as the villain, but as the invisible key technology behind Germany's future industries.

From today, our series “What Hightech Is Made Of” — following the seven fields of Germany's Hightech-Agenda, with the people actually building the solutions. Every Tuesday and Thursday, through to the innovation press conference in Berlin on 11 September.

Here a short preview of what’s coming:
- How mixed plastic waste becomes raw material again - at industrial scale, inside a working chemical park.
- Why finding the right formulation used to take months and now takes minutes.
- What's inside a power cable and why it decides how much wind energy actually arrives.
- Why no electric car moves without flame retardants.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!

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.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!

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.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!

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.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!