Plastic Podcast

About Plastic Podcast

Plastic pollution reaches our oceans, food, bodies, and laws. Plastic Podcast is a 28-episode limited series exploring microplastics, human health, recycling, climate change, and the policies shaping the future of plastic. Hosted by science communicator Clark Marchese, the series brings together chemists, marine biologists, historians, artists, activists, legal researchers, Indigenous scholars, and policy experts to trace the past, present, and future of humanity’s relationship with plastic. Episodes investigate microplastics in food, drinking water, soil, coral reefs, and Antarctica, alongside biodegradable plastics, chemical recycling, the global plastic waste trade, Cancer Alley, zero waste cities, and the UN plastics treaty. Rigorous without being alarmist, Plastic Podcast connects environmental science with policy, culture, health, and justice. Discover not only where plastic pollution ends up, but how it was created, who bears its costs, and how the systems behind it can change. Plastic Podcast is produced by Pine Forest Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Publisher

Pine Forest Media | Environmental Science Podcasts

Category

education · science · science

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

26 Mar 2024

Latest episode

24 Jul 2025

Latest episodes

30 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   24 Jul 2025

   NEW Show: Oceanography (Trailer)

   🎧 New from Pine Forest Media: Oceanography From the creators of The Plastic Podcast, Oceanography is a new weekly series exploring the science, policy, and people working to protect our oceans. Hosted by science communicator Clark Marchese, the podcast blends rigorous journalism with storytelling to uncover what’s happening beneath the surface—and why it matters. Each episode features global experts, including marine biologists, oceanographers, Indigenous leaders, and climate advocates. Topics include how whales communicate underwater, the magic of bioluminescent sharks, deep-sea ecosystems, and new fishing gear designed to protect endangered species. You’ll also hear from leaders at UNESCO and the Marine Protected Area Collaborative Network as they share how international treaties and local action are shaping the future of marine conservation. 🎧 Listen to the trailer now and follow the show for new episodes starting July 29. 🌊 Subscribe to Oceanography on Spotify, (https://open.spotify.com/show/6cg6LgAEvCP32rj24KixpP)on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/oceanography/id1826543626), or wherever you stream. 🌐 More at pineforestpods.com (https://www.pineforestpods.com/) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

2. 

   6 Nov 2024

   The Road to Busan and Beyond: A United Nations Treaty on Plastics with Tara Olsen

   It’s time to talk about a United Nations Treaty on Plastic Pollution. After months of anticipation, this episode focuses on the treaty’s negotiating process, the main actors involved, and the key interests at play. Joined by expert guest Tara Olsen, a researcher from Lund University, the conversation explores the complexities of treaty negotiations, including the differences between signing and ratifying a treaty, the influence of international law, and the possible outcomes of the upcoming final negotiation session. Packed with insights, this episode provides a deep dive into the current state of the global effort to regulate plastic pollution and what might come next. Episode Guests: Tara Olsen Connect with Tara Olsen here. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-olsen-a85bb585/) More on the Scientist’s Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty (https://www.linkedin.com/company/scientists-coalition-for-an-effective-plastics-treaty/posts/?feedView=all) Follow the treaty negotiations with CIEL (https://www.ciel.org/issues/plastic/#:~:text=CIEL%20works%20at%20multiple%20levels,on%20our%20health%2C%20climate%2C%20and) Follow the treaty negotiations with IISD (https://enb.iisd.org/) More information about the episode and the Plastic Podcast (https://www.pineforestpods.com/pods/plastic-podcast) Episode Transcript (https://www.pineforestpods.com/plastic-podcast-episodes) and more information on the Pine Forest Media (http://pineforestpods.com)Website. Follow Pine Forest Media on Instagram @pineforestmedia (https://www.instagram.com/pineforestmedia/) Hosted, produced, and edited by Clark Marchese (https://www.instagram.com/cj__marchese/) Cover art and PFM logo by Laurel Wong (https://laurelawong.com/). Theme music by Tadeo Cabellos (https://www.fiverr.com/tadeoceballos?source=gig_page) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

3. 

   30 Oct 2024

   The Evolution of Anti-Plastic Norms with Leah Shipton

   In this episode of Plastic Podcast, host Clark Marchese dives into the emergence and spread of anti-plastic movements, tracing their roots from local grassroots actions to global health policy. Clark speaks with Leah Shipton, a PhD candidate specializing in global health policy, who explains how health concerns drove the formation of anti-plastic norms worldwide. They discuss the role of norm entrepreneurs in spreading these norms, the challenges posed by industry-backed anti-entrepreneurs, and how this momentum led to the UN Treaty on Plastic Pollution. This insightful conversation ties together themes from previous episodes, setting the stage for the series finale, where the treaty itself will be explored in depth. Episode Guests: Leah Shipton Find more information about Leah Shipton here. (https://politics.ubc.ca/profile/leah-shipton/) Find a link to Leah Shipton’s article here (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09640568.2021.1957796). Find more of Leah Shipton’s research on Google Scholar (https://scholar.google.ca/citations?user=Ghc5UyIAAAAJ&hl=en) Follow Leah Shipton on X (https://x.com/i/flow/login?redirect_after_login=%2Fleahshipton) More information about the episode and the Plastic Podcast (https://www.pineforestpods.com/pods/plastic-podcast) Episode Transcript (https://www.pineforestpods.com/plastic-podcast-episodes) and more information on the Pine Forest Media (http://pineforestpods.com)Website. Follow Pine Forest Media on Instagram @pineforestmedia (https://www.instagram.com/pineforestmedia/) Hosted, produced, and edited by Clark Marchese (https://www.instagram.com/cj__marchese/) Cover art and PFM logo by Laurel Wong (https://laurelawong.com/). Theme music by Tadeo Cabellos (https://www.fiverr.com/tadeoceballos?source=gig_page) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

9 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

33 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 34 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

22

Social presence

91

YouTube

0

Engagement

71

Contact Plastic Podcast

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.