The History of Waste

This book provides the reader with an introduction to the subject of human societies and the waste they produce. It illustrates both historical practices of waste management throughout human history and current challenges, as well as global trends expected in the future. In doing so, the author succeeds in providing a nuanced analysis of the situation in supposedly exemplary countries of the Global North, examining the economic and environmental sustainability of the waste management practices employed there. Furthermore, the book describes the specific problems of waste management in the countries of the Global South and the characteristic challenges arising from them. Building on this, potential solutions for improving the status quo are outlined. The opportunities arising from this are already relevant today to a broad range of stakeholders. The discussions in this work therefore serve to foster further dialogue between the private sector, academia and research, government bodies, and development cooperation stakeholders.