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The Energy Forum | Center for Energy Studies | Podcast

Advanced Recycling: Potential, Controversy, and the Future of Plastics (Part 2)

August 5, 2025 | Rachel A. Meidl
Bundles of plastic waste ready to be recycled

Table of Contents

Author(s)

Rachel A. Meidl

Fellow in Energy and Sustainability | CES Deputy Director

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PlasticsAdvanced recyclingPlastic wasteThe Energy Forum

About the Episode

This is Part 2 of our deep dive into the world of advanced recycling. In this episode, Rachel Meidl continues her conversation with Marco Castaldi, professor of chemical engineering at the City College of New York, to examine the science and policy landscape shaping the future of plastic waste management.

They unpack the major categories of advanced recycling and explore why these technologies are often misunderstood or mischaracterized. This episode looks at what it will take to scale advanced recycling responsibly and why nuanced, science-based decisions are critical for building public trust and resilient systems.

This conversation was recorded on July 7, 2025. 

Subscribe and listen to “The Energy Forum” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

About ‘The Energy Forum’

Hosted by experts at the Baker Institute Center for Energy Studies, “The Energy Forum” podcast brings together policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders to explore key topics in energy and sustainability.

 

 

This material may be quoted or reproduced without prior permission, provided appropriate credit is given to the author and Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. The views expressed herein are those of the individual author(s), and do not necessarily represent the views of Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.

© 2025 Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy
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