The Waste of the World - by Nicky Gregson (Paperback)

About the Book

"Despite frequent claims that waste is being reduced, consumer-reliant economies, everyday consumption and the waste industry continue to produce and demand more waste. Combining a lucid style with robust empirical and theoretical research, this book examines the root causes of the global waste problem, rather than simply the symptoms. It challenges existing waste policies, highlighting what needs to change if we are to get serious in tackling this global problem. It concludes with policy implications for shifting waste from an 'end-of-pipe' concern to being at the heart of the debate over decarbonization."--Back cover.

Book Synopsis

Despite frequent claims that waste is being reduced, consumer-reliant economies, everyday consumption and the waste industry continue to produce and demand more waste. Combining a lucid style with robust empirical and theoretical research, this book examines the root causes of the global waste problem, rather than simply the symptoms. It challenges existing waste policies, highlighting what needs to change if we are to get serious in tackling this global problem. It concludes with policy implications for shifting waste from an 'end-of-pipe' concern to being at the heart of the debate over decarbonization.

Review Quotes

"This book doesn't end on a recipe for solutions; it does something much more important. It identifies three major challenges in the form of research questions, with the answers to these questions forming the beginnings of solutions that are appropriately scaled to the problems of waste writ large." Discard Studies

About the Author

Nicky Gregson is Emerita Professor in Human Geography at Durham University.