Plastic is one of the most transformative materials of the modern age. It’s in our cars, our homes, and our clothes. Lightweight, durable, and endlessly moldable, plastic has revolutionized manufacturing and design across nearly every industry. But this material comes with a serious downside: it’s incredibly difficult to dispose of in the right way.

For this episode, host Joe Hanson is joined by two experts who are working on just that. Matthias Kuba, Professor at BOKU University and Area Manager Syngas Platform Technologies at BEST in Vienna, and Wiebke Speckels, sustainability expert at BASF, share their vision for a future where plastic waste isn’t burned or landfilled, but recycled and used as new feedstock Their work focuses on chemical recycling, a cutting-edge approach that could give new life to plastics that are currently considered unrecyclable – like the complex mix of materials found in old cars.
Together, they explore how innovation in chemistry and engineering can help us preserve the benefits of this essential substance.

Over the next two episodes of SUBSTANCE, Joe Hanson offers a compelling look at how we might reshape our relationship with plastic and build a more sustainable world in the process.
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You can find more information here: https://www.basf.com/global/en/media/magazine/creatingchemistrystories/podcasts

SUBSTANCE is a podcast by BASF, produced by TERRITORY Agency, in collaboration with Wake Word and Joe Hanson. Research and scripting by Danielle Sedbrook, Claudia Doyle, Hardy Röde and Joe Hanson.