Synopses & Reviews
This urgent volume provides an up-to-date overview of waste management, outlining ways that individuals, groups, and governments can reduce waste through integrated strategies.
From household trash to radioactive material, Waste Managementcovers the many types of waste humans produce, then looks at the latest scientific breakthroughs and policy initiatives focusing on the waste management problem. It provides a historical context for understanding the current garbage crisis and examines a number of important events and current issues, including the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository, managing the debris from Hurricane Katrina and the World Trade Center site, shipbreaking and human rights violations in Asia, the freecycling movement, and San Francisco's ban on plastic grocery bags. The book also looks at the problem globally, from the most developed country to cultures that rely on trash picking and scavenging.
Review
"… a complete and comprehensive introduction to contemporary waste management issues and features a chronology of thematically relevant events, legislation, and movements;… An ideal textbook for Environmental Studies curriculums, Waste Management is also very highly recommended reading for environmental activists and non-specialist general readers with an interest in waste management issues." - Midwest Book Review
Review
"Drawing from history, political science, environmental science, engineering, sociology, and public health literature, Vaughn (political science, Northern Arizona U.) presents an introductory overview of waste and waste management, suitable for high school and college students, scholars, and general readers, as well as legislators, businesspeople, and activists." - SciTech Book News
Review
"The environmental movement and concern over hazardous waste and overfilled landfills make this a useful introductory reference. The section on background issues is insightful and the pages devoted to the broader concept of waste management establish perspective for the rest of the book. The section on controversies and solutions is useful, addressing such issues as 'Paper or Plastic?' and 'Technological Advances.' Although not a glamorous topic, this title is timely and will be of importance for those researching environmental issues and how best to deal with them. It should find a home in any school or public library." - ARBA
Review
"The book in its present form is appropriate only for general readers and those just developing an interest in and knowledge of waste management. It may not provide necessary technical information for professional practitioners and advanced students." - Choice
Synopsis
An authoritative review of issues in waste management both in the United States and globally that measures the scope of the problem and examines the latest scientific and policy initiatives for addressing it.
Synopsis
• Covers waste management problems and solutions from both a domestic and international perspective to show the global scope of the topic
• Uses the "paper or plastic?" question to personalize waste choices for individuals
• Covers technical problems and solutions in understandable, readable language with timely examples
Synopsis
• A separate chapter of primary source documents relevant to the issue of waste management, including presidential speeches, industry statistics, and international agreements
• A chronology ranging from 1757 and the first municipal trash cleaning service to the ban on the production, sale, and use of plastic bags in China in 2008