The article discusses the challenges of waste management and the complexities of recycling. It highlights Alexander Clapp's 'Waste Wars,' which examines the poorly understood journey of waste after collection. Readers are reminded of the dark underbelly of the waste industry, including illegal dumping and dubious recycling practices, often ignored by the public. Clapp's findings emphasize the environmental impact and social inequities, as poorer communities frequently bear the brunt of the affluent's waste, illustrated by a plastic bag traced across multiple countries before ending up in Turkey.
A plastic bag left outside a Tesco in London is tracked to Harwich, the Netherlands, and then Poland, before ending up 2,000 miles away in an industrial yard in Turkey.
Clapp ventures out to all corners of the Earth, hearing stories of illegal fly tipping on a gargantuan scale and dubious recycling procedures.
The world of waste management is shadowy and unpleasant, often leaving the poor to deal with the rubbish discarded by the affluent.
Many books explore the grim reality of waste disposal, and Clapp's 'Waste Wars' continues this trend, revealing uncomfortable truths about consumer waste.
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