Garbage Wars (Urban and Industrial Environments): The Struggle for Environmental Justice in Chicago

This book examines the struggle for environmental justice in Chicago, focusing on conflicts over solid waste and pollution.

Sociologist David Pellow analyzes the politics of garbage in Chicago, showing how it affects vulnerable communities and poses health risks to those who dispose of it. He follows the trash, pollution, hazards, and people involved from 1880 to 2000, revealing a conflict between social movements, government, and industry over waste management.

Pellow highlights conflicts over waste dumping, incineration, landfills, and recycling, providing a historical view of the garbage industry. Though focused on Chicago, he describes broader trends and conflicts in the United States, where communities resist the waste industry’s efforts to locate hazardous facilities in their backyards.

(This book may contain a sharpie mark on the top or bottom edge and may show mild signs of shelfwear.)