Wasteland: The Dirty Truth About What We Throw Away, Where It Goes, and Why It Matters

Wasteland is a BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week, New York Times Best Book of 2023, and Guardian Best Ideas Book of 2023. It is a fascinating, deeply researched, and hugely important exposé of what happens to the stuff we no longer want, and the social and environmental costs of dealing with it.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 400 pages
Publication date: 11 April 2024
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Ltd

A BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK, one of the New Yorker's Best Books of 2023, and included in the Guardian's Best Ideas Books of 2023, 'Wasteland' is a gripping read that will anger as much as it fascinates Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. 'An incredible journey into the world of rubbish, full of fascinating characters and mind-bending facts,' Oliver Bullough, author of 'Moneyland,' said. 'Urgent, probing, and endlessly interesting,' Cal Flyn, author of 'Islands of Abandonment,' added. 'A fascinating, deeply researched, and hugely important exposé of what happens to the stuff we no longer want, and the social and environmental cost of dealing with it.' Gaia Vince, author of 'Stiff,' said, 'Compelling, smart, fair, often funny, always interesting, and just very important.'

There are stories in all our discarded things: who made them, what they meant to a person before they were thrown away. In the end, it all ends up in the same place: the endless ingenuity of humanity in one filthy, fascinating mass.

When we throw things 'away, what does that actually mean? Where does it go, and who deals with it when it gets there? In 'Wasteland,' award-winning journalist Oliver Franklin-Wallis takes us on an eye-opening journey through the global waste industry. From the mountainous landfills of New Delhi to Britain's overflowing sewers, from hollowed-out mining towns in the United States to Ghana's flooded second-hand markets, we meet the people on the frontline of our waste crisis - both those being exploited and those determined to make a difference.

On the way, we discover the corporate greenwashing that started the recycling movement; the dark truth behind our second-hand donations; and come face to face with the 10,000-year legacy of our nuclear waste.

Both shocking and hopeful, 'Wasteland' is the timely and essential exploration of the world's waste crisis, offering a roadmap for a more sustainable future. 'Wasteland' is a must-read for anyone who cares about the environment, social justice, and the human impact of our wasteful habits.

Weight: 302g
Dimension: 200 x 130 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781398505476