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The Energy Forum | Podcast

From Mechanical to Molecular: What ‘Advanced Recycling’ Actually Means

July 23, 2026 | Rachel A. Meidl
Stack of plastic bottles for recycling against blue sky

Table of Contents

Author(s)

Rachel A. Meidl

Fellow in Energy and Sustainability | CES Deputy Director

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Tags

The Energy ForumPlasticsAdvanced recyclingSustainability

About the Episode

The Center for Energy Studies recently hosted its second annual sustainability summit, bringing together experts to examine sustainability challenges from a systems-level perspective.

In this episode of “The Energy Forum,”  Rachel A. Meidl is joined by two speakers from the summit: Marco Castaldi, professor at City College of New York and cochair of the Recycling Science Council, and Katherine Hofman, sustainability strategic initiatives manager at Eastman.

Together, they unpack the growing confusion around plastics recycling, particularly the terminology and taxonomy surrounding advanced recycling. They discuss how mechanical recycling differs from advanced, molecule‑level processes; why oversimplified narratives about recycling can mislead policymakers and the public; and how clearer definitions can shape more informed  regulations, investments, and waste‑reduction strategies.

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.

© 2026 Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy
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