Cost of Waste

In this episode, Dr Lara Dungan will unpick the true costs of our disposable culture, particularly single-use plastics and packaging, and discover real solutions to our growing waste problem. Ireland was recently ranked the highest producer of single-use plastics in Europe, and our standards for dealing with waste are far from perfect, with most of the cost being borne by the householder and taxpayer. Although Ireland’s waste problem is often out-of-sight, out-of-mind, there are significant economic and ecological implications to how we deal  with our waste. This episode will investigate the concrete cost of waste and look for an alternative means of dealing with this major problem. With our current throwaway culture, can we conquer the circular economy? From illegal dumping to marine plastic pollution, Dr Lara Dungan will speak with activists who are trying to mitigate this problem, including the Pure anti-dumping campaign and Seal Rescue Ireland.