7 Oct 2015

What a waste!

From Nine To Noon, 9:39 am on 7 October 2015

Every year 2.5 million tonnes of waste goes into landfills, and individually we generate, on average, 400 kilograms per year.  Our output is double what it was 50 years ago, and quadruple, a generation before that. University of Waikato Law Professor Alexander Gillespie wrote Waste Policy: International Regulation, Comparative and Contextual Perspectives because, while being one of the less glamorous environmental stories, it is one that every citizen is connected to. He says it's a problem that's getting bigger all the time, because we're all consuming so much more, from electronic waste to food waste. The book examines the size of the problem, considers how it's evolving, assesses the legal and political implications, and discusses solutions.

Alexander Gillespie speaks with Lynn Freeman.

Recycling bins

Recycling bins Photo: Wellington City Council