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Waste of a Nation: Garbage and Growth in India
In India, you can still find the kabaadiwala, the rag-and-bone man. He wanders from house to house buying old newspapers, broken utensils, plastic bottles―anything for which he can get a little cash. This custom persists and recreates itself alongside the new economies and ecologies of consumer capitalism. Waste of a Nation offers an anthropological and historical account of India’s complex relationship with garbage.
Countries around the world struggle to achieve sustainable futures. Assa Doron and Robin Jeffrey argue that in India the removal of waste and efforts to reuse it also lay waste to the lives of human beings. At the bottom of the pyramid, people who work with waste are injured and stigmatized as they deal with sewage, toxic chemicals, and rotting garbage.
Terrifying events, such as atmospheric pollution and childhood stunting, that touch even the wealthy and powerful may lead to substantial changes in practices and attitudes toward sanitation. And innovative technology along with more effective local government may bring about limited improvements. But if a clean new India is to emerge as a model for other parts of the world, a “binding morality” that reaches beyond the current environmental crisis will be required. Empathy for marginalized underclasses―Dalits, poor Muslims, landless migrants―who live, almost invisibly, amid waste produced predominantly for the comfort of the better-off will be the critical element in India’s relationship with waste. Solutions will arise at the intersection of the traditional and the cutting edge, policy and practice, science and spirituality.
Countries around the world struggle to achieve sustainable futures. Assa Doron and Robin Jeffrey argue that in India the removal of waste and efforts to reuse it also lay waste to the lives of human beings. At the bottom of the pyramid, people who work with waste are injured and stigmatized as they deal with sewage, toxic chemicals, and rotting garbage.
Terrifying events, such as atmospheric pollution and childhood stunting, that touch even the wealthy and powerful may lead to substantial changes in practices and attitudes toward sanitation. And innovative technology along with more effective local government may bring about limited improvements. But if a clean new India is to emerge as a model for other parts of the world, a “binding morality” that reaches beyond the current environmental crisis will be required. Empathy for marginalized underclasses―Dalits, poor Muslims, landless migrants―who live, almost invisibly, amid waste produced predominantly for the comfort of the better-off will be the critical element in India’s relationship with waste. Solutions will arise at the intersection of the traditional and the cutting edge, policy and practice, science and spirituality.
- GenresIndiaNonfiction
416 pages, Hardcover
Published March 26, 2018
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August 5, 2018
This is one of those books where I had notions on the topic before reading it, and a completely different understanding after completing it; for this reason alone, its important and worth reading. (For example, both as a percentage and absolute number, India recycles more plastic than the US).
Added to this, the language is accessible, and the narrative clear. The authors do a terrific job of introducing the reader to the social angle of why garbage is handled as it is in India. They caution against a simplistic notion of having a spotless India, and fall in favor of one that incorporates existing social structures into waste management.
They clearly have a particular position on the solution for handling garbage in India, which is to allow for those in the lowest castes to be able to do their jobs with dignity (among other things, through better security, uniforms and equipment), and not marginalize them as India accelerates towards modernity. It sounds like a sensible argument, but I'd want to learn more on the subject (related to this, they have an extremely impressive listing of citations and resources).
They seem to fall short when nostalgically looking back at a pre-1990s reduced consumerism and frugality/stoicism, which while I'm sympathetic to, seems a bit unrealistic. The more widespread discussion on modernization is at odds with this kind of view.
Florence Nightingale and the history of toothpaste packaging make interesting cameos in the first few chapters. This book also presents the counter view to the 1991 liberalization, increasing consumption, and the Bottom of the Pyramid advocates, whose calls for individualized packaging results in more waste.
Some interesting quotes:
"Understanding of waste generally distinguishes between waste as dirt or filth (gandagi, aswatchhta) and the pollution associated with religious impurity (ashuddha, apavitra) . . . the well-washed hand of a human being may be spurned. Even the cup that such a hand touched may be thrown away as ashuddha . . . but brown Ganga water may be used to ritually cleanse the mouth" (p. 2)
"15 percent of the population is officially classified as 'Scheduled Castes' and 7 percent as 'Scheduled Tribes.' In 2018, they total about 280 million people" (p. 2)
"The economic liberalization that accelerated in 1991 created new volumes of waste from mines, factories, and agricultural industries. This was compounded by an increase in solid waste from homes and businesses and liquid waste, sewage and industrial effluent dumped into lakes, rivers, and the ocean from expanding towns." (p. 4)
"The sweeper or toilet cleaner in the [modern] mall becomes a 'housekeeper' or 'janitor' . . . The broom s/he uses is a near-machine, distinct an different from the traditional broom; . . . these workers use gloves, wear a full uniform, complete with trousers, shirt, cap and shoes. Along with a new tool which neutralizes caste, the sweeper turns into a housekeeper, looking more like a paramedic than a traditional sweeper. In one stroke, the market has liberated the broom from its caste identity, and the occupation has become caste-neutral." (p. 40)
"Never in history have so many people had so much to throw away and so little space to throw it as the people of India in the second decade of the twenty-first century . . . population density was three time greater in India - 445 people to the square kilometer to China's 147. The United States made more waste - about 250 million metric tons a year, according to the EPA - far surpassing India's high-end estimates of its own waste of 65 million tons. The average American created 150 times more waste each year than the average Indian." (p. 43)
"[the] better life often means the ability to consume more and to have more to throw away. Even poor people in cities contribute substantially to waste, because they must buy what they need, increasingly in packages and invariably in small day-to-day quantities." (p. 52)
"In the 1990s, the characteristics of what Indians threw away began to change. For growing numbers of people, middle-class consumerism became possible, respectable, and desirable." (p. 53)
"India's toothpaste industry in the mid-1970s was estimated to produce about 1,200 metric tons a year for a population of more than 600 million. An Australian population of 16 million consumed 5,000 metric tons of toothpaste . . . By 2014, a single new factory set up in Gujarat by Colgate-Palmolive was capable of making 15,000 metric tons of toothpaste a year, more than ten times the quantity produced in all of India two generations earlier. Marketers estimated that 70 percent of urban India and 40 percent of rural India used toothpaste out of a tube . . . India by 2015 consumed more than 800 million 100-gram tubes a year." (pp. 56-59)
"The waste volume increased by 50 percent between 2001 and 2011 and speculates that India will generate 230 million metric tons of urban waste annually by 2041." (p. 66)
"In urbanizing India in the twenty first century, the mix in most towns and cities is reckoned to be almost half biodegradable, 30 percent inert material (dust, gravel, street sweepings), 10 percent plastic, 10 percent paper, 5 percent rags, and 2 or 3 percent glass and metal." (p. 101)
"The country recycled 60 percent of the 5.6 million metric tons of plastic thrown away every year. In 2012, the United States was estimated to recycle only 9 percent of 31.8 million metric tons of plastic it discarded annually" (p. 128)
"Local government is the least glamorous of administrative services, and employment in sanitation is the ugliest duckling among ugly ducklings." (p. 150)
"Bringing waste collectors and waste makers into effective cooperation to minimize waste and treat most of it close to home offers more beneficial possibilities for making India cleaner; but the quick efficiency of mechanized mass destruction seems easier and more tempting" (p. 151)
"The British vision of local government . . . was that local governments existed to take pressure of higher levels of authority and should work in response to the needs of such authority. This attitude has remained widespread." (p. 165)
"urban India in 2011 had at least 3.5 million people handling waste every day" (p. 189)
"rich possibilities for a cleaner India if the skills of the professionals, the networks of the recyclers, the energy of the NGOs, and the wiling labor of the collectors could be synchronized." (p. 190)
"waste is mobile but people who collect it seldom are. Waste-pickers assemble items that can be hauled up a pyramid of value. But the men, women and children at the bottom of the pyramid rarely have the chance to move to less hazardous and more rewarding work. The pyramid weighs down those at the bottom, who being the whole process by handling waste in its most raw state. Hair gains value spectacularly as it moves from a gutter in the street to a factory in the city and to a wig in China or the United States . . . this mobility of things depends on the immobility of people and is compatible with a parallel pyramid-like structure - the caste system. At the top of the caste pyramid, upper-caste purity is maintained and reinforced by having those at the bottom . . . No doubt there are very poor people among higher castes, but few of them will be found among India's millions of waste-handlers" (p. 213)
"Rubbish never takes a break" (p. 232)
"The kabaadiwala tradition is one of India's strengths in the struggle to tame the detritus of prosperous urban life" (p. 234)
Added to this, the language is accessible, and the narrative clear. The authors do a terrific job of introducing the reader to the social angle of why garbage is handled as it is in India. They caution against a simplistic notion of having a spotless India, and fall in favor of one that incorporates existing social structures into waste management.
They clearly have a particular position on the solution for handling garbage in India, which is to allow for those in the lowest castes to be able to do their jobs with dignity (among other things, through better security, uniforms and equipment), and not marginalize them as India accelerates towards modernity. It sounds like a sensible argument, but I'd want to learn more on the subject (related to this, they have an extremely impressive listing of citations and resources).
They seem to fall short when nostalgically looking back at a pre-1990s reduced consumerism and frugality/stoicism, which while I'm sympathetic to, seems a bit unrealistic. The more widespread discussion on modernization is at odds with this kind of view.
Florence Nightingale and the history of toothpaste packaging make interesting cameos in the first few chapters. This book also presents the counter view to the 1991 liberalization, increasing consumption, and the Bottom of the Pyramid advocates, whose calls for individualized packaging results in more waste.
Some interesting quotes:
"Understanding of waste generally distinguishes between waste as dirt or filth (gandagi, aswatchhta) and the pollution associated with religious impurity (ashuddha, apavitra) . . . the well-washed hand of a human being may be spurned. Even the cup that such a hand touched may be thrown away as ashuddha . . . but brown Ganga water may be used to ritually cleanse the mouth" (p. 2)
"15 percent of the population is officially classified as 'Scheduled Castes' and 7 percent as 'Scheduled Tribes.' In 2018, they total about 280 million people" (p. 2)
"The economic liberalization that accelerated in 1991 created new volumes of waste from mines, factories, and agricultural industries. This was compounded by an increase in solid waste from homes and businesses and liquid waste, sewage and industrial effluent dumped into lakes, rivers, and the ocean from expanding towns." (p. 4)
"The sweeper or toilet cleaner in the [modern] mall becomes a 'housekeeper' or 'janitor' . . . The broom s/he uses is a near-machine, distinct an different from the traditional broom; . . . these workers use gloves, wear a full uniform, complete with trousers, shirt, cap and shoes. Along with a new tool which neutralizes caste, the sweeper turns into a housekeeper, looking more like a paramedic than a traditional sweeper. In one stroke, the market has liberated the broom from its caste identity, and the occupation has become caste-neutral." (p. 40)
"Never in history have so many people had so much to throw away and so little space to throw it as the people of India in the second decade of the twenty-first century . . . population density was three time greater in India - 445 people to the square kilometer to China's 147. The United States made more waste - about 250 million metric tons a year, according to the EPA - far surpassing India's high-end estimates of its own waste of 65 million tons. The average American created 150 times more waste each year than the average Indian." (p. 43)
"[the] better life often means the ability to consume more and to have more to throw away. Even poor people in cities contribute substantially to waste, because they must buy what they need, increasingly in packages and invariably in small day-to-day quantities." (p. 52)
"In the 1990s, the characteristics of what Indians threw away began to change. For growing numbers of people, middle-class consumerism became possible, respectable, and desirable." (p. 53)
"India's toothpaste industry in the mid-1970s was estimated to produce about 1,200 metric tons a year for a population of more than 600 million. An Australian population of 16 million consumed 5,000 metric tons of toothpaste . . . By 2014, a single new factory set up in Gujarat by Colgate-Palmolive was capable of making 15,000 metric tons of toothpaste a year, more than ten times the quantity produced in all of India two generations earlier. Marketers estimated that 70 percent of urban India and 40 percent of rural India used toothpaste out of a tube . . . India by 2015 consumed more than 800 million 100-gram tubes a year." (pp. 56-59)
"The waste volume increased by 50 percent between 2001 and 2011 and speculates that India will generate 230 million metric tons of urban waste annually by 2041." (p. 66)
"In urbanizing India in the twenty first century, the mix in most towns and cities is reckoned to be almost half biodegradable, 30 percent inert material (dust, gravel, street sweepings), 10 percent plastic, 10 percent paper, 5 percent rags, and 2 or 3 percent glass and metal." (p. 101)
"The country recycled 60 percent of the 5.6 million metric tons of plastic thrown away every year. In 2012, the United States was estimated to recycle only 9 percent of 31.8 million metric tons of plastic it discarded annually" (p. 128)
"Local government is the least glamorous of administrative services, and employment in sanitation is the ugliest duckling among ugly ducklings." (p. 150)
"Bringing waste collectors and waste makers into effective cooperation to minimize waste and treat most of it close to home offers more beneficial possibilities for making India cleaner; but the quick efficiency of mechanized mass destruction seems easier and more tempting" (p. 151)
"The British vision of local government . . . was that local governments existed to take pressure of higher levels of authority and should work in response to the needs of such authority. This attitude has remained widespread." (p. 165)
"urban India in 2011 had at least 3.5 million people handling waste every day" (p. 189)
"rich possibilities for a cleaner India if the skills of the professionals, the networks of the recyclers, the energy of the NGOs, and the wiling labor of the collectors could be synchronized." (p. 190)
"waste is mobile but people who collect it seldom are. Waste-pickers assemble items that can be hauled up a pyramid of value. But the men, women and children at the bottom of the pyramid rarely have the chance to move to less hazardous and more rewarding work. The pyramid weighs down those at the bottom, who being the whole process by handling waste in its most raw state. Hair gains value spectacularly as it moves from a gutter in the street to a factory in the city and to a wig in China or the United States . . . this mobility of things depends on the immobility of people and is compatible with a parallel pyramid-like structure - the caste system. At the top of the caste pyramid, upper-caste purity is maintained and reinforced by having those at the bottom . . . No doubt there are very poor people among higher castes, but few of them will be found among India's millions of waste-handlers" (p. 213)
"Rubbish never takes a break" (p. 232)
"The kabaadiwala tradition is one of India's strengths in the struggle to tame the detritus of prosperous urban life" (p. 234)
October 26, 2022
In India, people use even bad things till the end, because of this, the waste is less according to the population. Having millions of people depend on processing waste for their livelihood can be an advantage,because human labour makes reuse and remaking of thrown away things more effective. As fast as the population is increasing in the country, the inventions are happening at the same time whether it is the invention of TV or mobile or building debris. To settle wastes government created Landfills. Numerous stories lies beneath the detritus,excrement,debris and fences.Few dreams are born out there few are entangled in decayed air.
The most scavengers work in arduous condition on landfills, such as Deonar in Mumbai, Okhla in Delhi, Dhapa in Kolkata, Kodungaiyur in Chennai and Belgachia at Howrah in West Bengal. Estimates put scavengers life expectancy at 39 years. Waste workers registre high levels of tuberculosis.
Just think none of our politicians or policy makers realise the gravity of the waste problems. This is inevitable, can harm to the complete society. A cross India,however, causalities continue to rise. According to calculations of the safai karmachari aandolan, the organisation fighting for the right of manual scavengers, ninety people died in sewage lines in the first eight month of 2017 alone. A headline read, “it’s Safer Being a Soldier Fighting in Kashmir Than a Sewer Worker. What Does That Say About India?”
Millions of waste pickers, handlers, and safai karmachari are working for our society to accumulate our wastes throw it to the peripheral of the city. But there is one trade union in which only thousands of workers registered.”Kagad Kach Patra Kashatakari Panchayat” (Pune) in 1993 to raise concern for waste picker and gain recognition for the type of activities they perform. It has helped waste picker’s get union based loans,education and health care.
Very few municipalities or NGOs are able to provide safety measure for collection to the waste worker. Government should pay attention even though being a responsible person of of the society we have to be more scrupulous towards them.
“Placing a box or a can or a bottle in a recycling bin doesn’t mean you have recycled anything and it doesn’t make you better,greener person: it just means you have outsourced your problem.”
Read it…. 📖
The most scavengers work in arduous condition on landfills, such as Deonar in Mumbai, Okhla in Delhi, Dhapa in Kolkata, Kodungaiyur in Chennai and Belgachia at Howrah in West Bengal. Estimates put scavengers life expectancy at 39 years. Waste workers registre high levels of tuberculosis.
Just think none of our politicians or policy makers realise the gravity of the waste problems. This is inevitable, can harm to the complete society. A cross India,however, causalities continue to rise. According to calculations of the safai karmachari aandolan, the organisation fighting for the right of manual scavengers, ninety people died in sewage lines in the first eight month of 2017 alone. A headline read, “it’s Safer Being a Soldier Fighting in Kashmir Than a Sewer Worker. What Does That Say About India?”
Millions of waste pickers, handlers, and safai karmachari are working for our society to accumulate our wastes throw it to the peripheral of the city. But there is one trade union in which only thousands of workers registered.”Kagad Kach Patra Kashatakari Panchayat” (Pune) in 1993 to raise concern for waste picker and gain recognition for the type of activities they perform. It has helped waste picker’s get union based loans,education and health care.
Very few municipalities or NGOs are able to provide safety measure for collection to the waste worker. Government should pay attention even though being a responsible person of of the society we have to be more scrupulous towards them.
“Placing a box or a can or a bottle in a recycling bin doesn’t mean you have recycled anything and it doesn’t make you better,greener person: it just means you have outsourced your problem.”
Read it…. 📖
May 3, 2023
Waste of a Nation written by Assa Doron & Robin Jeffrey is a gem for all working in the field of waste management. I particular admire the fact, that both authors Doron & Jeffery are not Indian citizens but still have such a deep understanding of all the socioeconomic issues in waste management.
The authors have done a rigorous empirical analysis of the way waste is being handled in India & written an engaging narrative inclusive of all myths, methods, approaches, policies and even the stigmas associated with waste of our nation.
The authors begin with describing names in our Indian dialects, for those who actually are managing our waste and elaborating the stigma associated with them. They showcase the passing down of this profession to the future generations in the same families.
The introduction has a short section which is a comparison of historical journeys of today’s developed countries of cleanliness. To this they describe in detail on how nineteenth-century England was no stranger to sanitation issues. The story about Queen Victoria and her family emphasizes one aspect of India’s confrontation with the detritus of mass production : India is not alone. It is humbling to know that other countries have been there in the past or are in similar circumstances today.
On defining waste, they also elaborate on the Indian approaches of purity and danger as a reflection on the meaning of waste.
The authors also dive into the influence of Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan spread across the nation and narrate the story of Surat crisis. The authors say that, ‘respect, reward and hope for improved futures are at the heart of successful, sustained programs. If a swachh bharat is to be achieved , it will be a place where the waste of nation does not stigmatize poor and marginalized people, but is restricted to inanimate matter - minimized, collected, neutralized and reused in ways that private models for other places in an environmentally fragile world.
The authors portray an interlocking picture where aspiring middle classes seeks world-class cities, but proposed solutions often leave the urban poor alienated and dispossessed. Simple solutions may appeal to neoliberal ideas and entrepreneurial spirits, but ground-level experience tells a more complicated story of how people think about and experience waste. For that its a surprise that these two foreign authors have been able to comprehend India’s complex culture and its environmental challenges.
They also have used an evidence based approach to the study and interpretation to statiscally explain how India’s task is uniquely difficult with the volumes of waste and density of human population being so great. At the same time, they highlight that despite these problems, India has a marked advantage when compared with other industrialized countries : its cultural and institutional traditions of reuse and frugality. The kabaadiwala and their networks have been part of India for as long as anyone knows or remembers.
The authors are clear, that there are no single shot solutions - Technologies suitable for local conditions are essential.
The book is rigorously researched over the years providing tables, graphs and reports enhancing the readers knowledge on how the model of the throwaway society, with its planned obsolescence, a feature of consumer capitalism in the west for many years, assumes that Indian modernity must follow the same path.
Using empirical evidence they emphasize on the decentralized approach for waste management. To include the author’s ambitious work in a short video is definitely not going to suffice the purpose. This 393 pages book is a must read encyclopedia for those working in field of waste management and for me it seems to be the go to book in our everyday practice at Eco Support.
As the authors say ‘The problem with waste is that it doesn’t wait for anyone’
The authors have done a rigorous empirical analysis of the way waste is being handled in India & written an engaging narrative inclusive of all myths, methods, approaches, policies and even the stigmas associated with waste of our nation.
The authors begin with describing names in our Indian dialects, for those who actually are managing our waste and elaborating the stigma associated with them. They showcase the passing down of this profession to the future generations in the same families.
The introduction has a short section which is a comparison of historical journeys of today’s developed countries of cleanliness. To this they describe in detail on how nineteenth-century England was no stranger to sanitation issues. The story about Queen Victoria and her family emphasizes one aspect of India’s confrontation with the detritus of mass production : India is not alone. It is humbling to know that other countries have been there in the past or are in similar circumstances today.
On defining waste, they also elaborate on the Indian approaches of purity and danger as a reflection on the meaning of waste.
The authors also dive into the influence of Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan spread across the nation and narrate the story of Surat crisis. The authors say that, ‘respect, reward and hope for improved futures are at the heart of successful, sustained programs. If a swachh bharat is to be achieved , it will be a place where the waste of nation does not stigmatize poor and marginalized people, but is restricted to inanimate matter - minimized, collected, neutralized and reused in ways that private models for other places in an environmentally fragile world.
The authors portray an interlocking picture where aspiring middle classes seeks world-class cities, but proposed solutions often leave the urban poor alienated and dispossessed. Simple solutions may appeal to neoliberal ideas and entrepreneurial spirits, but ground-level experience tells a more complicated story of how people think about and experience waste. For that its a surprise that these two foreign authors have been able to comprehend India’s complex culture and its environmental challenges.
They also have used an evidence based approach to the study and interpretation to statiscally explain how India’s task is uniquely difficult with the volumes of waste and density of human population being so great. At the same time, they highlight that despite these problems, India has a marked advantage when compared with other industrialized countries : its cultural and institutional traditions of reuse and frugality. The kabaadiwala and their networks have been part of India for as long as anyone knows or remembers.
The authors are clear, that there are no single shot solutions - Technologies suitable for local conditions are essential.
The book is rigorously researched over the years providing tables, graphs and reports enhancing the readers knowledge on how the model of the throwaway society, with its planned obsolescence, a feature of consumer capitalism in the west for many years, assumes that Indian modernity must follow the same path.
Using empirical evidence they emphasize on the decentralized approach for waste management. To include the author’s ambitious work in a short video is definitely not going to suffice the purpose. This 393 pages book is a must read encyclopedia for those working in field of waste management and for me it seems to be the go to book in our everyday practice at Eco Support.
As the authors say ‘The problem with waste is that it doesn’t wait for anyone’
June 18, 2019
I liked something special about this book- the fearlessness of the authors. They traveled with the wastepickers carrying the recyclable wastes to all the destinations where the waste would end up at every stage. Then they tried to gather as much information about its lifecycle as they can from the boundaries that they were not allowed to cross. It takes courage to do so. And it gives a picture of the journey of our waste that was not known to a common man before.
There were some photographs in this book that helped me visualize what must be going on in the numerous tiny recycling facilities all around India. But more pictures would definitely have been welcome!
There was also scope for improvement had they been able to gather some data and present some calculations such as in this report by UofC: http://www.seas.columbia.edu/earth/wt...
Finally, they have touched a topic that needs immediate attention. Note that I am emphasizing 'attention' rather than formulating a solution. This is because a greater public will is first and foremost in inciting action to curb the deluge of waste. This book creates a platform for dialogue to achieve the same.
There were some photographs in this book that helped me visualize what must be going on in the numerous tiny recycling facilities all around India. But more pictures would definitely have been welcome!
There was also scope for improvement had they been able to gather some data and present some calculations such as in this report by UofC: http://www.seas.columbia.edu/earth/wt...
Finally, they have touched a topic that needs immediate attention. Note that I am emphasizing 'attention' rather than formulating a solution. This is because a greater public will is first and foremost in inciting action to curb the deluge of waste. This book creates a platform for dialogue to achieve the same.
August 9, 2018
This book turned out to be more engaging than the subject initially suggested. The first clue is the light humour in the title; a gentle spice throughout the narrative. Though the subject is perhaps intrinsically unattractive the book demonstrates that it is vital and while India’s situation has unique factors, the issues are universal as is the urgent need to address them. The authors sympathetic and perceptive observations have intrinsically constructive intentions, I think. Rancour, cynicism or despair may have been easy options, but their approach is to focus on suggesting how things can be made better. The comprehensive reading behind the book places India’s situation in its realistic geographic and historical context and thereby illustrates that the issues are universal. While various themes come up in different contexts, I didn’t feel like thinking ‘you told me that before’; the concept of a ‘binding crisis’ and the plight of the Dalits are examples. The book is thoughtfully structured by dedicated educators. Hopefully, this book will be widely read – it certainly deserves to be!
February 24, 2019
Get this. I've just given 5 stars to a book about....garbage.
Written by Australian academics Assa Doron and Robin Jeffrey, this is an extensively researched and book. Doron in particular seems to have talked to everybody in every part of the waste chain in India. The main thing is that it is really well written. It is such an easy and engaging read. And it is fascinating. It is filled with anecdotes and stories which really bring out just how intertwined waste management in India is with economic development, geography, religion, caste and culture.
And it satisfied all my curiosity about why toilet uptake isn't what you'd think it should be in India (I keep my dinner guests entertained for hours with that chapter...). In truth, this is a terrific social history and commentary about India, seen through its relationship with its waste. I thought it was just great.
October 13, 2019
I was thrown off by reading the intro that's like we decided to write this book because we went to India and there was garbage everywhere. I did do some later research and these professors do both focus on relevant aspects of Indian history/culture/economics, but still. Throughout the book I was thinking about how this book could have been different with different authors and perspectives.
That said, as someone with limited academic experience with either India or waste, I learned a lot from this book. It was readable and well organized in describing the problems and existing solutions.
That said, as someone with limited academic experience with either India or waste, I learned a lot from this book. It was readable and well organized in describing the problems and existing solutions.
May 19, 2024
An amazing book that concisely summarizes waste management issues in India (with a global comparison). It not only analyzes the problems but also presents practical solutions already implemented in India. As Dipesh Chakrabarty aptly mentioned, the book "combines historical, anecdotal, economic, ethnographic, and even technical details" to make it an engaging and informative read. The topics covered include municipal solid waste, sewage, waste recycling, technology applications for waste management, the role of local government, and individuals involved in waste management.
November 24, 2018
Being a waste management professional, I enjoyed reading this book. I was already aware of some of the practices, issues, and challenges that India is facing in the waste management field, however, there were also several observations made by the author which were new for me.
Those who are not aware of waste management industry in India, and what to gain a good knowledge of the same, should read this book.
Those who are not aware of waste management industry in India, and what to gain a good knowledge of the same, should read this book.
May 22, 2018
India.....christ what a bloody nightmare. Uncontrollable population growth, corruption that is rampart , a caste system that defies logic, pollution in the extremes.
Not impressed with the book as it has a tendency to not address the real problems but gloss over the situation in hand. Its as if the authors are trying to stay on the right side government with BS.
Not impressed with the book as it has a tendency to not address the real problems but gloss over the situation in hand. Its as if the authors are trying to stay on the right side government with BS.
June 9, 2020
This book gave me my first real understanding of how systems interlock and become dysfunctional. The facts given are astounding - just the sheer numbers, and the cultural differences were fascinating. I especially appreciated the authors keeping the humans at the forefront of the conversation, instead of only focusing on profit or politics. Highly recommend.
October 4, 2019
Comprehensive!
February 25, 2020
If you want to know about how waste is managed in India, read this. It isn't necessarily an entertaining read (it's not meant to be), but it is extremely insightful.
May 21, 2020
Very helpful, but ultimately not cutting enough
July 11, 2022
This was great and I particularly appreciated the historical tidbits (the detail about toothbrushes!) and the emphasis on caste throughout.
January 15, 2023
The Author meticulously touched upon almost every aspect of waste related issue that one can possibly think about. Essential for anyone wanting to have panoramic understand of this massive new challenge- ‘Waste of a Nation’
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews