13 recycling podcasts every industry professional should listen to

Experts in the recycling industry are all too familiar with the unique challenges that come with convincing the public and private sectors that recycling is worth doing well. However, recycling professionals also know that recycling is a unique and changing landscape — new technologies, methodologies, and public outreach programs can change trusted systems in a heartbeat. 

Industry insiders looking to learn more about other corners of the industry — or dive deeper into their own — can lean on these podcasts focusing on the historical problems and future opportunities in plastics, metals, scrap, paper, and more.

Some continue to release new episodes, while others have wrapped their series, but all provide insights that remain relevant long after they first aired. Tuning in gives you the chance to explore complex topics, learn from experienced voices, and refresh your understanding of recycling practices, technologies, and trends shaping the field today. Whether you listen during your commute, at the office, or in the field, these podcasts make it easy to stay connected to the broader industry conversation.

1. Trash Talk 

Bilal Ahmed, director and founder of Renovus, hosts the Trash Talk podcast. Full of honest conversations with people putting in the hard work to make recycling successful, hear from operators, founders, engineers, and changemakers in the industry focused on everything from new technologies and tools to regulation and trade changes. 

Listen to Trash Talk and discover some of the hard truths limiting the waste and recycling sector. 

2. Betts on the Future 

Hosted by 20-year metals veteran Jennifer Betts, Betts on the Future digs up the truth about the current state of metals. From powering infrastructure to transportation and technology, this show shines a light on the dynamic opportunities within the industry. Hear real stories and critical insights from those driving innovation and sustainability in metals.

3. Marvelous Mrs. Metals' Metals Market Minutes 

Also hosted by Jennifer Betts, Marvelous Mrs. Metals' Metals Market Minutes is Betts' podcast on the Marvelous Mrs. Metals substack; a platform designed for experts across a wide range of sectors to share digital content. Metals Market Minutes features expert analysis on hot topics and market trends moving the global metals industry into the future. From drastically fluctuating metal tariffs to the way that AI affects the market, Betts curates these topics in a way that is both clarifying and hopeful — staying informed and staying magnetized to metals.

4. Born Scrappy 

Born Scrappy is the go-to podcast for scrap metal exporters and traders. Presented by Buddy, a leading provider of recycled metal and trading opportunities, this show looks directly at the mindsets, skillsets, and toolsets of some of the top scrap metal traders and exporters in the country. 

Hosted by Stu Kagen, a scrap metal expert and storyteller, Born Scrappy invites experienced metal traders to outline the future of leading metal markets. Lessons learned from wins and losses inform the path to a successful future. 

5. A Scrap Life with Brett Ekart 

If you've ever witnessed the magic that happens in a scrapyard and want to hear more about the grit that goes on behind the scenes, this podcast is for you. On A Scrap Life, presented by United Metals Recycling, host Brett Ekart interviews scrap experts across the country who are experiencing all the good (and bad) of scrapyards. 

Being scrappy means more than just breaking down old materials: it's a person that's dedicated and confident in their abilities and has the desire to fight through tough times. Through casual, real-life conversations, Ekart sparks thoughtful discussions on everything from best business practices and maximizing growth to quirky mishaps in the yard. 

6. The Scrap Show 

Produced by Recycling Today, The Scrap Show features sit-down conversations with industry experts on the rich history and bright future of the scrap metal recycling industry. Processors, traders, and industry experts provide insights and observations from local scrapyards to the biggest metal recyclers in the game. Find out how scrap metal recycling energizes the metal manufacturing industry, local economies, and countless other industries in this weekly podcast. 

7. Dirty Scrap

Innovation, circularity, and total sustainability — Dirty Scrap bets on a clean approach to keeping the planet alive without losing sight of productivity. Host Julio Quintero focuses on the sustainable and efficient aspects of aluminum recycling through a nuanced approach. Economic growth in aluminum manufacturing depends on the ability of the recycling industry to create new and innovative methods and processes. Learn more about the future of aluminum from a seasoned scrap expert on a mission to decarbonize the world. 

8. Pile of Scrap

Raw and unfiltered discussions from some of the top recycling warriors in the scrap industry are featured on Pile of Scrap. Host and president of Sierra International Machinery, John Sacco, explores the scrap industry across the country, revealing the sometimes-ugly, sometimes-beautiful truth of metal recycling in America. 

Concerns like inflation and operational costs can be anxiety inducing for recyclers, but Sacco breaks down these topics using real-world experiences from top players in the industry. Learn what it takes to operate in any market and what it takes to build core strength in your scrap recycling business with Pile of Scrap. 

9. The Circular Future by Quantum Lifecycle Partners

In The Circular Future, hosted by Stephanie McLarty, head of sustainability at Quantum Lifecycle Partners, topics focus on exposing the challenges and real-world impact of e-waste. Highlighting the latest breakthroughs in sustainability, carbon emission reduction, data security, and more, this show will leave its listeners with actionable insights into making any organization part of the circular future. 

10. Trash Magic 

Trash Magic! wants to change the world, one piece of trash at a time. Hosted by Oakley J-Fast, a chemical engineer, and Sara Fuentes, a waste and recycling expert, this show demystifies the circular economy with the potential in disposal. Although this show has wrapped, the catalogue of episodes share important truths about the recycling industry from the perspective of hard science. Oakley and Sara take a different approach to the circular economy by dissecting the industry on a molecular level. Learn more about the magic in trash from notable voices in the waste industry. 

11. Recycled Content from the Association of Plastic Recyclers 

Recycled Content, produced by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), uses real-world examples to predict where plastic recycling is truly headed. Each month, industry leaders from across the value chain discuss breakthroughs, roadblocks, and market changes that shape the industry, from the design of sustainable packaging to the recycling bin and beyond. This podcast offers actionable insights on common concerns in the plastic industry, keeping listeners engaged and up-to-date. 

12. Talking Rubbish

Talking Rubbish produces weekly episodes focused on the complexities, innovations, and solutions necessary to reduce, reuse, and recycle better. Hosted by James Piper, author of The Rubbish Book, and Robbie Staniforth, policy director at a leading environmental consultancy, the two use their collective knowledge of waste to explore advancements, laws, and fads in the world of waste. If you've ever wondered what happens to fad items — like the plushy and mischievous Labubus — when the trend dies, you'll learn more than you might want to. 

13. NothingWasted! (By Waste360) 

NothingWasted! by Waste360 sets out to speak with the leaders and change makers of the waste, recycling, organics, and sustainability industries. Every episode takes a deeper look at the latest news that drives the circular economy forward. From regulatory changes to recycling in inner cities and urban neighbourhoods, every conversation reveals diverse perspectives on waste. Find out how to waste less and make more changes with NothingWasted!.