Garbage Land: On the Secret Trail of Trash Review
This book is well-written, comprehensive, and - surprisingly - entertaining! The issue that is the most disturbing to me is the use of "biosolids" (composted and processed solid sewage waste) as fertilizer. Years ago the government tried to make it legal to use this on organic crops. The only problem is that our waste stream is contaminated not only with bacteria, but also toxic metals like arsenic, cadmium, lead, and also chemicals like PCB's. The processing does nothing to get rid of metals or chemicals.
This stuff is sold as Milorganite in Milwaukee. If you want to know whether it's safe or not, read about how they had to scrape the fertilizer off 25 playing fields because of high levels of PCBs:
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As Elizabeth Royte discovers in her book - this is just a way to try to get rid of waste without filling up landfills. Maybe it's also a way to distribute the contamination so that it can't be as easily detected and fought against: foist it off on the unsuspecting public.
Elizabeth Royte has done a great service by uncovering the truth about how we deal with garbage and other waste.
Garbage Land: On the Secret Trail of Trash Overview
The wild adventure begins once our trash hits the canas Elizabeth Royte boldly follows the things weve disposed of to their ultimate (often surprising) destination. Her highly praised book melds science, travel, anthropology, and a strong dose of clear-headed analysis as it reminds us how our decisions about consumption and waste have a very real impact.
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Customer Reviews
On the Secret Trail of Trash...Especially in New York - Patty Templeton - Chicago, IL
Ms. Royte wants to know where her garbage ends up. She is able to follow her trash...up to a point, similar to how I was able to stay tuned into her first person narrative...to a point. There are interesting tidbits (landfill terminology [leachate, anyone?], the tidbit that more people recycle than vote, the fact that 125 years ago kitchen trash didn't exist, etc.), but overall I felt weighted down by the continual need to shove everything on the page. Slow reading, very slow.
No escape for our gargage - Tim Of Falls Church -
Ms Royte has produced a well-written text on what happens to our garbage, and its effect on the environment. Local municipalities everywhere should be asked to read this book, and adopt programs to improve their recycling rates and encourage their citizens to reduce levels of trash.
An eye opener - Erin M. Simmons - colorado springs, co
I did not read through it all but the parts I did were chalked full of startling facts about garbage
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Aug 25, 2010 10:33:04
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