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Dirty History: The First Global History of Waste

Humans and waste – this is a long and intimate relationship. Even Neanderthals deemed certain items useless, sorted them out, and discarded them. Ancient Rome faced waste problems just as the metropolises of the 19th century did. However, everything pales in comparison to the mountains of waste we see today. Through the production of and interaction with waste, Roman Köster writes an illuminating history of our species. His book offers the first consistently dirty history of humanity.

In pre-modern times, waste was primarily a practical problem. It lay around, smelled bad, and obstructed traffic. With the significant and global growth of cities since the late 18th century, attention turned to the hygienic issues caused by waste, which facilitated the spread of typhus and cholera. Today, however, waste has transformed from a question of urban cleanliness into a global environmental issue. In his global history of waste from prehistory to the present, Roman Köster investigates the causes of these developments and shows how the processes of discarding, disposing of, and recycling have changed throughout history.

Discarding is a constant. Living with waste – from the advent of settled life to today. How the management of waste has shaped the face of settlements and cities – and the lives of their inhabitants. A history of discarding, disposing of, and recycling. From the waste problems of ancient cities to the garbage mountains of today. The prehistory and causes of current environmental issues.