Is Plastic Recycling in Europe Really Broken?

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 targetsHow global oversupply is undermining local circular systemsThe role of policy, economics, and unintended consequencesWhether we need to rethink not just recycling, but plastic production itselfA thought-provoking conversation that goes beyond the surface — and asks whether we’re solving the right problem at all.🎧 Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!