Plastics Revolution with Tammy Ven Dange

In this episode of the Plastics Revolution podcast, host Tammy Ven Dange chats with Samantha Cross of Plastic Police and Cross Connections Consulting. Samantha spent most of her career helping companies reduce their waste as an employee of Brambles.  Then a few years ago, a combination of circumstances led her to start her own consulting company and a passion project she called Plastic Police to tackle soft plastic waste specifically. What started as a shipping container and one school has now evolved to a fully tested model with a scalable blueprint for businesses and organisations anywhere. We hope you enjoy this episode of Plastics Revolution with Samantha Cross of Plastic Police. You can read the summary and see all of the links from this episode on Tammy’s blog. Credits Hosted by Tammy Ven Dange Produced by Jonny Puskas Theme Music by Joseph McDade All Rights Reserved 2020

In this episode of Plastics Revolution, host Tammy Ven Dange chats with Abigail Forsyth, the co-founder and managing director of KeepCup. Abigail and her brother were running a number of cafes in the Melbourne area when they recognised the amount of disposable coffee cups going through their business and ending up in landfill.  Even worse, they couldn’t believe that there wasn’t already a reusable alternative on the market. Ten years later, the KeepCup brand has become the generic term for a reusable coffee cup in many places. We hope you enjoy this episode of Plastics Revolution with Abigail Forsyth of KeepCup. You can read the summary and see all of the links from this episode on Tammy’s blog. Credits Hosted by Tammy Ven Dange Produced by Jonny Puskas Theme Music by Joseph McDade All Rights Reserved 2020

In this episode of Plastics Revolution, host Tammy Ven Dange chats with Stephen Webster of Integrated Recycling, an Australian manufacturer of recycled plastic products. In this show, we learn about the origins of the company and how it’s progressed from making posts from the recycled plastic film that was used to cover grapevines to a much greater variety of products now.  This includes their Duratrack railway sleepers and their “in-development” urban noise barriers – both that have the potential to use a huge amount of recycled plastic. We hope you enjoy this episode of Plastics Revolution with Stephen Webster of Integrated Recycling. You can read the summary and see all of the links from this episode on Tammy’s blog. Credits Hosted by Tammy Ven Dange Produced by Jonny Puskas Theme Music by Joseph McDade All Rights Reserved 2020

In this episode of Plastics Revolution, Tammy Ven Dange chats with Chris Tangey of  Ecycle Solutions, an Australian recycler of e-waste and polystyrene.  Polystyrene has been a popular padding and packaging solution for a long time. However, because it’s really 98% air, it’s been the bugbear of the plastics recycling industry because it’s very difficult to transport it at a profitable rate. Chris and I talked about the value of this recyclable material and why they are able to provide this service when most other recyclers can’t. We hope you enjoy this episode of Plastics Revolution with Chris Tangey of Ecycle Solutions. You can read the summary and see all of the links from this episode at https://plasticsrevolution.com. Credits Hosted by Tammy Ven Dange Produced by Jonny Puskas Theme Music by Joseph McDade All Rights Reserved 2020

In this episode of Plastics Revolution, host Tammy Ven Dange chats with Rebecca Prince-Ruiz of Plastic Free July.  Rebecca didn’t mean to start a global movement.  She just set a family challenge to reduce the amount of plastic that they were using in the month of July. Now with an estimated 250 million people involved in 177 countries, we talk about future as the organisation is about to celebrate their 10th anniversary. We hope you enjoy this episode of Plastics Revolution with Rebecca Prince-Ruiz. You can read the summary and see all of the links from this episode on Tammy’s blog. Credits Hosted by Tammy Ven Dange Produced by Jonny Puskas Theme Music by Joseph McDade All Rights Reserved 2020

In this episode of Plastics Revolution, host Tammy Ven Dange chats with Michael Elias of MANRAGS, a men’s essential clothing line and textiles recycling service.  Michael was in banking industry when he and his wife, Tina, decided to sell socks through a subscription side-hustle. The business did so well that he eventually left his job to focus on it full time. Yet soon afterwards, Michael realised that his own business was adding to the landfill problem. This started the next phase of the business which they are undergoing now to close the loop on textile waste. We hope you enjoy this episode of Plastics Revolution with Michael Elias of MANRAGS. You can read the summary and see all of the links from this episode on Tammy’s blog. Credits Hosted by Tammy Ven Dange Produced by Jonny Puskas Theme Music by Joseph McDade All Rights Reserved 2020

In this episode of Plastics Revolution, host Tammy Ven Dange chats with Paul Jenkins of ThePackHub, a packaging consulting firm based in Banbury, England.  In this show, we learn more about the sustainability trends that he’s seeing in theconsumer packaging space including newer trends that have been prompted recently by Covid-19.  This includes the changes that brands have had to make to online distribution models and hygiene concerns. We hope you enjoy this episode of Plastics Revolution with Paul Jenkins of ThePackHub. You can read the summary and see all of the links from this episode on Tammy’s blog. Credits Hosted by Tammy Ven Dange Produced by Jonny Puskas Theme Music by Joseph McDade All Rights Reserved 2020

Planet Stewardship In this episode of Plastics Revolution, host Tammy Ven Dange chats with Paul Klymenko of Planet Ark.  Paul started his career in finance before realising that the only way that he could reduce his stress about environmental concerns was to create solutions for it. And so he did so as a co-founder and now the CEO of this environmental behaviour change organisation. In this show, we talk about how it started, their current campaigns, issues impacting the environment right now, as well as their latest program to be announced, the National Circular Economy Hub and Marketplace. We hope you enjoy this episode of Plastics Revolution with Paul Klymenko of Planet Ark. You can read the summary and see all of the links from this episode on Tammy’s blog. Credits Hosted by Tammy Ven Dange Produced by Jonny Puskas Theme Music by Joseph McDade All Rights Reserved 2020  

In this episode of Plastics Revolution, host Tammy Ven Dange chats again with Damien Clarke and Martin Brooks from Green Caffeen to get an update on their reusable coffee cup program during this Covid-19 crisis. In this show we talk about the safety of using their program, how its been impacted during this time, as well as how you can help out your favourite cafes save money. You can read the summary of this episode on Tammy’s blog. Credits Hosted by Tammy Ven Dange Produced by Jonny Puskas Theme Music by Joseph McDade All Rights Reserved 2020  

In this episode of Plastics Revolution, we have a very special show during the Covid-19 crisis. It’s clear that businesses have been impacted in various ways – some for the better, but many for the worse. The recycled plastics industry is really one of those that is hurting right now – not because of the lack of materials. Host Tammy Ven Dange presents three new challenges for the recycled plastic industry and discusses how you can make a difference as a consumer by buying more products made from recycled plastic. And in this special video episode, we want to introduce you to three businesses based in Australia that you can support by doing just that. They include: Anipal Plastic Forests Recycled Mats   Credits: Hosted by Tammy Ven Dange Produced by Jonny Puskas Theme Music by Joseph McDade All Rights Reserved 2020  

In this episode of Plastics Revolution, host Tammy Ven Dange chats with Nev Hyman of NevHouse.  Nev started his career shaping surfboards for the world’s best surfers.  Along the way, he even sold a company to famous professional surfer, Kelly Slater. So, how did this surfboard maker get into building homes from recycled plastic?  That’s exactly what we talk about in this show, as well as, Nev’s future plans. You can read the highlights of this episode on Tammy’s blog with quotes and further information. Credits Hosted by Tammy Ven Dange Produced by Jonny Puskas Theme Music by Joseph McDade All Rights Reserved 2020 Topics from this episode: 0:00 | Intro 00 | How did Nev go from surfer to entrepreneur? 03 | Nev packs up and decides to move to the east coast of Australia where some of the biggest surfing events were held and where he starts his next surfboard shaping company called Nev Future Shapes. 7:38 | Can you take the “soul” of a surfboard if it’s not made by hand? The creation of Firewire with the help of computer aided design technology, and what does famous surfer Kelly Slater have to do with it now? 10:20 | Nev returns to the Future Shape 11:01 | How in the world did Nev go from surfboard maker to making homes from recycled plastic? 14:38 | The accidental recycler. 19:51 | How did he get investors to put money towards this idea. 05 | Nev explains the technology behind his homes and how it differs from what Replas does. “It’s not rocket science.” 16 | The investment challenge with building a manufacturing facility in Australia. 22 | Why NevHouse is a profitable investment. 59 | Opportunity Zone Funds in the US. The new Nev Earth Oz Fund that he created there to fund his first plant. 11 | Who’s the customer for NevHouse flat pack plastic homes? 37 | As for the plastic waste? 40:23 | The opportunities for providing disaster relief housing quickly. 42:32 | Reach out to Nev if you want to know more about the homes and/or the investment opportunities. Contact details below.

In this episode of Plastics Revolution, host Tammy Ven Dange chats with Simon van Leuven of Vanden Recycling. Founded in 2005, Vanden Recycling has been buying and selling recycled plastic material around the world. We talk about how Vanden manages their quality processes, as well as the challenges of exporting materials since the China Sword policy was enacted in 2018.  We also talk about how the company is being impacted now with the Covid-19 crisis. We hope you enjoy this episode of Plastics Revolution with Simon van Leuven of Vanden Recycling. You can read the full transcript of this episode on Tammy’s blog.   Companies, Organisations and Products Mentioned in this Podcast: Vanden Recycling Think Beginning Not End podcast   Credits Hosted by Tammy Ven Dange Produced by Jonny Puskas Theme Music by Joseph McDade All Rights Reserved 2020

In this episode of Plastics Revolution, Tammy Ven Dange chats with Jon Williams of Alliance Paper, a manufacturer of various paper products and a distributor of food-grade bio-packaging material. Jon’s been in the printing industry all his life, and in recent years, he’s driven the business’s focus on creating better products from both an environmental and health perspective. We’d talk about the business, his thoughts about the paper industry and even the impact of the current Covid-19 crisis. I hope you enjoy this episode of Plastics Revolution with Jon Williams of Alliance Paper. You can read the full transcript of this episode on Tammy’s blog. Companies, Organisations and Products Mentioned in this Podcast: Alliance Paper Planet Ark Credits Hosted by Tammy Ven Dange Produced by Jonny Puskas Theme Music by Joseph McDade All Rights Reserved 2020

In this episode of Plastics Revolution, host Tammy Ven Dange chats with Teresa Aylott of Little Green Panda.  Teresa started a company in 2018 to sell drinking straws made of a wheat waste product. The demand boomed as the hospitality industry decided to move away from plastic straws. And then last year, Teresa decided to merge with another liked-minded company creating the Little Green Panda we see today.  Together with her business partners, she’s reducing plastic waste, one straw at a time. I hope you enjoy this episode of Plastics Revolution with Teresa Aylott of Little Green Panda. You can read the full transcript of this episode on Tammy’s blog. Companies, Organisations and Products Mentioned in this Podcast: Little Green Panda Stroh Worksmith Accelerator Credits Hosted by Tammy Ven Dange Produced by Jonny Puskas Theme Music by Joseph McDade All Rights Reserved 2020

In this episode of Plastics Revolution, host Tammy Ven Dange chats with Heidi Taylor of Tangaroa Blue, a charity that focusses on cleaning up ocean waste and capturing the related data. Since 2004, Tangaroa Blue have captured nearly 16 million data points. And with that information, they have been able to provide the evidence that’s often required to drive changes for legislation, as well as business practices - all to reduce the waste that they are finding on beaches around Australia.  I hope you enjoy this episode of Plastics Revolution with Heidi Taylor of Tangaroa Blue. You can read the full transcript of this episode on Tammy’s blog. Companies, Organisations and Products Mentioned in this Podcast: Tangaroa Blue Credits Hosted by Tammy Ven Dange Produced by Jonny Puskas Theme Music by Joseph McDade All Rights Reserved 2020

In this episode of Plastics Revolution, host Tammy Ven Dange chats with Ryan Swenson, the Head of Sustainable Development at Officeworks. Five years ago, Officeworks created its first long-term sustainability strategy with the ultimate goal of sending zero waste to landfill. While overall operational waste has increased during this time, they’ve slashed the amount they send to landfill by nearly half and are now recycling 82% of their waste – providing a great case study for other businesses to follow. We hope you enjoy this episode of Plastics Revolution with Ryan Swenson of Officeworks. You can read the full transcript of this episode on Tammy’s blog. Companies, Organisations and Products Mentioned in this Podcast: Officeworks Greening Australia REDcycle Credits Hosted by Tammy Ven Dange Produced by Jonny Puskas Theme Music by Joseph McDade All Rights Reserved 2020

In this episode of Plastics Revolution, host Tammy Ven Dange chats with Barbara Matthews of Recycled Recreation based in Hobart, Tasmania and their newest store in Canberra, Australia.  Barbara and her husband, Rex owned an indoor climbing business when they recognised a need to help parents rehome their children’s climbing shoes as they grew out of them. Today, they have two retail shops that buy and sell outdoor clothing and gear. And from that, they’ve increased the useful life of these products - creating value for manufacturers, retailers, the customers and ultimately the environment. We hope you enjoy this episode of Plastics Revolution with Barbara Matthews of Recycled Recreation. You can read the full transcript of this episode on Tammy’s blog. Companies, Organisations and Products Mentioned in this Podcast: Recycled Recreation Canberra Recycled Recreation Tasmania Macpac Paddy Pallin Icebreakers Smitten Fjallraven Credits Hosted by Tammy Ven Dange Produced by Jonny Puskas Theme Music by Joseph McDade All Rights Reserved 2020

Thoughts from the 2 March 2020 Event In this episode of Plastics Revolution, we’re doing something a little bit different. Last week, host Tammy Ven Dange was at the National Plastics Summit at the Parliament House in Canberra, Australia. This event was sponsored by the Australian Government and the invite said (paraphrased) “this Summit seeks to accelerate solutions to the proliferation of plastic waste, and activate the actions agreed to by states and territories last year in the National Waste Policy Action Plan.” There were 200 people invited from various industries.  This included consumer products companies like McDonalds and Officeworks to plastics manufacturers, waste management companies, recyclers and packaging companies.  There were also a number of government officials, not-for-profits and experts from academia there as well. As far as format goes, the day was largely divided into 5 concurrent sessions around various topics which were advertised as round tables. They were held once in the morning, and again after lunch. While there, Tammy had the opportunity to randomly interview participants about solutions they were proposing, and what they thought of the event.  Before we hear what they have to say, let us clarify the separation of duties between the federal and local governments – which is often referred collectively as the COAG or the Council of Australian Governments. It is the local governments that are actually responsible for waste management and recycling services for their communities.  The federal government has national authority for legislation, taxation and budget distribution. They also have significant purchasing power for their own needs. A huge thanks to Minister Sussan Ley and the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment for inviting Tammy to the National Plastics Summit, and for also allowing us to conduct these interviews.  Also, thank you to the attendees who shared their thoughts with me for this podcast.  Sorry that we weren't able to include everyone. So, let’s hear now what some of the attendees had to say about the National Plastics Summit. You can read a partial transcript of this episode on Tammy’s blog.   Credits Hosted by Tammy Ven Dange Produced by Jonny Puskas Theme Music by Joseph McDade All Rights Reserved 2020

In this second episode of a 2 part series of Plastics Revolution, host Tammy Ven Dange continues to chat with Rob Pascoe of Closed Loop Environmental Solutions.  They talk about his newest circular solution for local councils.  We also learn more about his passion for solving food waste issues too. We hope you enjoy this 2nd part episode of Plastics Revolution with Rob Pascoe of Closed Loop You can read the full transcript at https://tvendange.com/podcast Companies, Organisations and Products Mentioned in this Podcast: Closed Loop Simply Cup Visy 7-Eleven ShredX Farmer's Place Credits Hosted by Tammy Ven Dange Produced by Jonny Puskas Theme Music by Joseph McDade All Rights Reserved 2020

In this first episode of a 2-part series of Plastics Revolution, host Tammy Ven Dange chats with Rob Pascoe of Closed Loop Environmental Solutions headquartered in Melbourne, Australia.  Long before recycling was mainstream, Rob created circular solutions for the likes of the 2000 Sydney Olympics and Qantas. In this first part, we talk about his business and how he managed to scale so quickly to support his large clients by creating an ecosystem with other businesses. We hope you enjoy this episode of Plastics Revolution with Rob Pascoe of Closed Loop You can read the full transcript of this episode on Tammy’s blog. Companies, Organisations and Products Mentioned in this Podcast: Closed Loop Simply Cup Visy 7-Eleven ShredX Credits Hosted by Tammy Ven Dange Produced by Jonny Puskas Theme Music by Joseph McDade All Rights Reserved 2020