Really interesting book about waste – where it goes, how it’s processed, what really happens when you put something in the recycling bin. The author visited waste management sites all over the world, including tip sites in India, toxic mine spoil in the US, and nuclear waste storage in the UK.

The conversations they retell present a more nuanced view than “waste bad, recycling good”, and explore the non-obvious side effects of certain attempts to make things better – for example, how EU laws prohibiting the export of broken electronics have affected the second-hand and repair market in Ghana. The book doesn’t try to evangelise too hard, and at multiple points the author freely admits they don’t know the answer.

It’s obviously not a pleasant read, but I’m glad I read it and it’s given me a lot to think about.

(see all reviews)