This week on Rubbish Talk, Alasdair is joined by Stephen Cameron, Managing Director at Change Waste Recycling, to discuss business growth, source-segregated recycling, food waste, and the challenges of getting people to use existing waste systems properly.

Stephen shares his journey into the waste sector, which began after the 2008 financial crash when he joined a small waste business on a short-term contract. What started as a temporary opportunity turned into a long-term career, helping grow SWR Newstar from a small unknown company into a major UK waste broker before eventually moving to Change Waste Recycling.

The conversation explores the work of Change Waste Recycling, which operates from Edinburgh and Glasgow, employing 77 people and servicing over 3,000 customer sites each month. The business collects materials including food waste, paper, cardboard, plastics, glass and general waste, with a strong focus on keeping materials separate to improve quality and recycling outcomes.

Stephen explains how Change Waste Recycling’s model differs from traditional mixed recycling collections. By encouraging customers to separate materials such as fibre, plastics and cans at source, the company can provide cleaner recyclables and help customers better understand what they are producing. He also discusses the practical challenges businesses face, especially in busy city centres where space is limited and waste collections need to work around daily operations.

A key theme throughout the episode is the importance of using the systems we already have more effectively. Stephen argues that the UK’s waste and recycling systems are not necessarily broken — but they are often used badly. From food waste still ending up in residual bins to poor segregation in public spaces, the conversation highlights how much could improve if people simply used existing services properly.

Food waste is a major focus, with Stephen and Alasdair discussing the huge financial and environmental benefits of separating it correctly. As Stephen explains, the true cost of food waste is not just disposal — it is the cost of buying food in the first place and then throwing it away. For businesses, better segregation can help reveal where waste is being generated and where savings can be made.

Stephen also shares honest reflections from his career, including the excitement of growing a business, the lessons learned from difficult contract mobilisations, and why he enjoys working in smaller, agile businesses where decisions can have a visible impact.

Looking ahead, he sees waste as a fascinating and secure industry with huge opportunities for young people. Despite growing automation and AI, Stephen believes waste will always need people, innovation and practical problem-solving.

A thoughtful and engaging episode covering recycling, business growth, food waste, customer behaviour and why doing the simple things properly could make a huge difference.

Useful Links

Stephen Cameron | LinkedIn

Change Waste Recycling | LinkedIn

This week on Rubbish Talk, Alasdair is joined by Dr Anna Willetts, Partner at Gunnercooke, environmental criminal lawyer, and Immediate Past President of the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM).

With over 15 years of experience advising businesses on environmental compliance and enforcement, Anna brings a unique combination of legal expertise, a PhD in landfill engineering, and experience as an environmental consultant. This gives her a fascinating perspective on the challenges facing the waste and resource sector today.

Anna shares her journey into the industry, from studying landfill engineering and working in consultancy to becoming a specialist environmental lawyer. Along the way, she has worked with businesses across the sector, helping them navigate complex legislation, regulatory investigations and enforcement action.

A major focus of the conversation is waste crime and the increasing public attention on large-scale illegal waste sites. Anna discusses the role of regulators, organised crime groups and the wider challenges involved in tackling environmental offending. She reflects on the importance of ensuring enforcement is targeted effectively, while also supporting legitimate operators who are trying to do the right thing.

Alasdair and Anna also explore how environmental regulation has evolved over the years, the growing complexity of compliance requirements, and the challenges businesses face in managing duty of care responsibilities across increasingly complicated supply chains. The discussion covers digital waste tracking, battery fires, disposable vapes and the practical realities of balancing environmental protection with day-to-day operations.

The episode also touches on Anna’s time as President of CIWM, the importance of collaboration across the sector, and why attracting and supporting the next generation of waste professionals is more important than ever. Throughout the conversation, Anna highlights the critical role the waste industry plays in protecting both the environment and public health.

A fascinating and thought-provoking discussion covering waste crime, environmental law, regulation, recycling and the future of resource management.

This week on Rubbish Talk, Jane and Alasdair return with another packed news roundup, focusing on one of the waste sector's biggest ongoing challenges: vapes and lithium batteries.

They discuss the impact of the disposable vape ban one year on, proposals for a £5 vape deposit scheme, and the worrying rise in fires linked to e-cigarettes despite increased awareness campaigns. The conversation explores why batteries continue to end up in household bins and what more can be done to improve collection and recycling rates.

The episode also covers a range of other waste sector stories, including Egypt's famous "Garbage City", the potential cost implications of extending the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to Energy from Waste facilities, progress towards the UK's Deposit Return Scheme, and the latest update on the clean-up of one of Europe's largest illegal waste sites.

As always, Jane and Alasdair finish with a rant, returning to the issue of batteries in bins and the ongoing fire risk facing the waste industry.

A wide-ranging discussion covering recycling, waste crime, policy developments, sustainability, and the importance of getting batteries and vapes recycled properly.

For news links please head the episode on our website.