This is Part 2 of our deep dive into the world of advanced recycling. In this episode, Rachel Meidl continues her conversation with Marco Castaldi, professor of chemical engineering at the City College of New York, to examine the science and policy landscape shaping the future of plastic waste management.

They unpack the major categories of advanced recycling and explore why these technologies are often misunderstood or mischaracterized. This episode looks at what it will take to scale advanced recycling responsibly and why nuanced, science-based decisions are critical for building public trust and resilient systems.

This conversation was recorded on July 7, 2025.

Follow Rachel Meidl, LP.D., CHMM on X (@MeidlRachel) and LinkedIn.

You can follow @BakerInstitute and @CES_Baker_Inst on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.

Despite decades of effort, only about 9% of plastic waste is successfully recycled. The vast majority ends up in landfills or incinerators. In Part 1 of this two-part episode of “The Energy Forum,” Rachel Meidl is joined by Marco Castaldi, professor of chemical engineering at the City College of New York, to unpack the complex world of advanced recycling, also known as chemical or molecular recycling.

They discuss what advanced recycling actually is, how it differs from traditional mechanical recycling, and why it’s become such a hot topic globally, plus:

• Can advanced recycling reduce dependence on fossil-derived plastics?
• Will it complement or compete with current systems?
• What policies and investments are still missing?

This conversation was recorded on July 7, 2025.

Follow Rachel Meidl, LP.D., CHMM on X (@MeidlRachel) and LinkedIn.

You can follow @BakerInstitute and @CES_Baker_Inst on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.

In this episode of “The Energy Forum,” we explore what’s shaping the global oil market as we head into the second half of 2025 and beyond. Center for Energy Studies nonresident fellows Abhi Rajendran and Skip York break down why oil demand surprised to the upside in early 2025, how OPEC+ is phasing out production cuts, and why non-OPEC supply growth is slowing. They examine the factors influencing prices through 2026 and what global demand might look like heading toward 2030 and beyond.

This conversation was recorded on July 22, 2025.

Follow Abhi Rajendran on X and LinkedIn.

Follow Skip York on LinkedIn.

You can follow @BakerInstitute and @CES_Baker_Inst on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.