Smoke on the Water: Incineration at Sea and the Birth of a Transatlantic Environmental Movement

The U.S. government, military, and industry once used ocean incineration to dispose of hazardous chemical waste, but public outcry and environmental and health risks led to its ban in the early 1990s. Smoke on the Water explores the rise and fall of ocean incineration, highlighting the role of grassroots advocacy and international mobilization by underrepresented groups in the anti-incineration movement.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 296 pages
Publication date: 31 October 2023
Publisher: Columbia University Press

The U.S. government, military, and industry once considered ocean incineration as the safest and most efficient method for disposing of hazardous chemical waste. In the late 1960s, toxic chemicals like PCBs and other harmful industrial byproducts were taken out to sea to be destroyed in specially designed ships equipped with high-temperature combustion chambers and smokestacks. However, public outcry arose after the environmental and health risks of ocean incineration were exposed, leading to the practice's ban in the early 1990s.

Smoke on the Water delves into the rise and fall of ocean incineration, exploring how a transnational environmental movement challenged U.S. political and economic power. Author Dario Fazzi examines the anti-ocean-incineration movement that emerged on both sides of the Atlantic, highlighting how it succeeded by merging local advocacy with international mobilization. He emphasizes the crucial role played by women, migrant workers, and other underrepresented groups who were most at risk from the practice. Environmental groups also gathered and shared evidence about the harms of at-sea incineration, building scientific consensus and influencing international debates.

Smoke on the Water is a compelling story that tells of a campaign against environmental degradation led by marginalized communities taking on the might of the U.S. military-industrial complex. It offers valuable insights into the transnational dimensions of environmental regulation, the significance of nonstate actors in international history, and the formation of environmental justice movements. The book sheds light on the complex interplay between science, politics, and social activism, highlighting the importance of grassroots movements in shaping global environmental policy.

Weight: 436g
Dimension: 151 x 229 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231212434