A Public Sociology of Waste

Description

Is it possible to tackle waste by recycling, reusing and reducing consumption on an individual level alone? This provocative book critically analyses the widespread narrative around waste as a 'household' issue. Expert scholar Myra J. Hird uncovers neoliberal capitalism's fallacy of infinite growth as the real culprit and shows how industry and local governments work in tandem to deflect attention away from the real causes of our global waste crisis. Hird offers crucial insights on the relations between waste and wider societal issues such as poverty, racism, sexism, Indigeneity, decolonisation and social justice, showcasing how sociology can contribute to a 'public imagination' of waste.

Myra J. Hird is Professor in the School of Environmental Studies at Queen's University in Canada and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

"This is essential and long awaited reading for sociologists interested in the ubiquitous role of waste in society. It rigorously demonstrates how and why the burden of waste is unequally distributed." Tora Holmberg, Uppsala University "In her powerful analysis and critique of waste 'management', Hird illuminates the neglected socio-ethical implications of waste and our understanding of it." Romain Garcier, University of Lyon