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Who Deals With The Trash - Waste & Injustice
Ever wonder what happens to your trash after you drag it to the curb? Spoiler alert: it doesn’t just disappear. In this episode of Talk Earthy to Me, we dig deep into the messy truth about where our waste really goes — and who pays the price. From landfills in low-income neighborhoods to e-waste scrapyards overseas, we’ll uncover the hidden injustices buried in our garbage system.
This isn’t just about overflowing bins or recycling mistakes — it’s about environmental racism, toxic colonialism, and the communities forced to live with the consequences of everyone else’s leftovers. Tune in to learn why your trash isn’t just trash… it’s a justice issue, and how you can be part of the solution.
Works Cited
American Public Health Association. Environmental Justice. APHA, 2023.
American Society for Microbiology. “Exposure to Landfills and Associated Health Risks.” National Library of Medicine, 2016.
Ban, Basel Action Network. USA Plastic Waste Export Data Annual Summary. Basel Action Network, 2023.
Chavis Jr., Benjamin F. “Warren County and the Birth of a Movement.” Facing South, 2022.
Environmental Defense Fund. Methane: A Crucial Opportunity in the Climate Fight. EDF, 2024.
Environmental Protection Agency. Landfill Methane Outreach Program Database. EPA, 2024.
Environmental Protection Agency. Facts and Figures About Materials, Waste and Recycling. EPA, 2023.
Environmental and Energy Study Institute. “Addressing the Environmental Justice Implications of Waste.” EESI, 2024.
Environment America. Trash in America. Environment America, 2023.
Gibbens, Sarah. “More Than Half of U.S. Landfills May Be Methane Super-Emitters, Study Finds.” Smithsonian Magazine, 2023.
King County Solid Waste Division. Cedar Hills Regional Landfill Information. King County, 2024.
Lifestyle Sustainability Directory. “Toxic Colonialism.” Sustainability Directory, 2023.
Maine Public. “Americans Toss Nearly 5 Pounds of Waste a Day. Repair Cafes Encourage Fixing Broken Items Instead.” Maine Public, 2023.
National Public Radio. “Climate Action and the History of Environmentalism.” NPR, 2023.
Natural Resources Defense Council. Environmental Justice Movement. NRDC, 2023.
Natural Resources Defense Council. What Is Environmental Racism?. NRDC, 2023.
NBC News. “Palo Alto Recycling Exposed: Where America’s Waste Really Ends Up.” NBC News, 2023.
New York City Streetsblog. “Bus Depots: A Symptom of Environmental Injustice.” Streetsblog NYC, 2007.
National Library of Medicine. “Electronic Waste and Health Hazards in Agbogbloshie, Ghana.” National Library of Medicine, 2021.
Pallister, David. “Recycling: Is Exporting It All a Load of Rubbish?” The Times, 2023.
RoadRunner Waste Management. “Landfills: We’re Running Out of Space.” RoadRunner Waste Management, 2023.
Sustainable America. “Wishcycling: What It Is and Why It Matters.” RecycleNation, 2020.
The World Economic Forum. “The Flow of Global Plastic Waste.” World Economic Forum, 2023.
WE ACT for Environmental Justice. About WE ACT. WE ACT, 2023.
University of Alabama at Birmingham Institute for Human Rights. “People of Color Live Disproportionately Close to Superfund Sites.” UAB Institute for Human Rights, 2021.
Wikipedia. “Toxic Colonialism.” Wikipedia, 2024.
YouTube. “The Story of Plastic.” YouTube, uploaded 2023.
View all episodes
By Isabelle FrazierEver wonder what happens to your trash after you drag it to the curb? Spoiler alert: it doesn’t just disappear. In this episode of Talk Earthy to Me, we dig deep into the messy truth about where our waste really goes — and who pays the price. From landfills in low-income neighborhoods to e-waste scrapyards overseas, we’ll uncover the hidden injustices buried in our garbage system.
This isn’t just about overflowing bins or recycling mistakes — it’s about environmental racism, toxic colonialism, and the communities forced to live with the consequences of everyone else’s leftovers. Tune in to learn why your trash isn’t just trash… it’s a justice issue, and how you can be part of the solution.
Works Cited
American Public Health Association. Environmental Justice. APHA, 2023.
American Society for Microbiology. “Exposure to Landfills and Associated Health Risks.” National Library of Medicine, 2016.
Ban, Basel Action Network. USA Plastic Waste Export Data Annual Summary. Basel Action Network, 2023.
Chavis Jr., Benjamin F. “Warren County and the Birth of a Movement.” Facing South, 2022.
Environmental Defense Fund. Methane: A Crucial Opportunity in the Climate Fight. EDF, 2024.
Environmental Protection Agency. Landfill Methane Outreach Program Database. EPA, 2024.
Environmental Protection Agency. Facts and Figures About Materials, Waste and Recycling. EPA, 2023.
Environmental and Energy Study Institute. “Addressing the Environmental Justice Implications of Waste.” EESI, 2024.
Environment America. Trash in America. Environment America, 2023.
Gibbens, Sarah. “More Than Half of U.S. Landfills May Be Methane Super-Emitters, Study Finds.” Smithsonian Magazine, 2023.
King County Solid Waste Division. Cedar Hills Regional Landfill Information. King County, 2024.
Lifestyle Sustainability Directory. “Toxic Colonialism.” Sustainability Directory, 2023.
Maine Public. “Americans Toss Nearly 5 Pounds of Waste a Day. Repair Cafes Encourage Fixing Broken Items Instead.” Maine Public, 2023.
National Public Radio. “Climate Action and the History of Environmentalism.” NPR, 2023.
Natural Resources Defense Council. Environmental Justice Movement. NRDC, 2023.
Natural Resources Defense Council. What Is Environmental Racism?. NRDC, 2023.
NBC News. “Palo Alto Recycling Exposed: Where America’s Waste Really Ends Up.” NBC News, 2023.
New York City Streetsblog. “Bus Depots: A Symptom of Environmental Injustice.” Streetsblog NYC, 2007.
National Library of Medicine. “Electronic Waste and Health Hazards in Agbogbloshie, Ghana.” National Library of Medicine, 2021.
Pallister, David. “Recycling: Is Exporting It All a Load of Rubbish?” The Times, 2023.
RoadRunner Waste Management. “Landfills: We’re Running Out of Space.” RoadRunner Waste Management, 2023.
Sustainable America. “Wishcycling: What It Is and Why It Matters.” RecycleNation, 2020.
The World Economic Forum. “The Flow of Global Plastic Waste.” World Economic Forum, 2023.
WE ACT for Environmental Justice. About WE ACT. WE ACT, 2023.
University of Alabama at Birmingham Institute for Human Rights. “People of Color Live Disproportionately Close to Superfund Sites.” UAB Institute for Human Rights, 2021.
Wikipedia. “Toxic Colonialism.” Wikipedia, 2024.
YouTube. “The Story of Plastic.” YouTube, uploaded 2023.