Vital Waste Graphics 3

HAPPY THROWING AWAY, MR AND MRS CONSUMER! DOWE REALLY WANT TO MINIMIZE WASTE? Inresponse to the challengesposedby thegrowingwasteheap, the concept ofminimization–orprevention – of waste generation has been developed in major international texts and public policies on waste man- agement. The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the European Environment Agency (EEA) or the United States Environment Protection Agency (EPA), for instance, all identifyminimization as one of the topics onwhich to focus action against the growing problemof waste. 5 Global trends, however, do not confirmany general consensus on when and how to achieve this objective.

A number of obstacles prevent the practical implementation of waste minimization. The most prominent are the manufacturing strategy of ‘planned obsolescence’, related consumption behaviour and surprisingly, the waste market itself. The core of the problem is certainly systemic. Many products need to

be changed after a certain period of time. In a system in which production must increase steadily to cover credit interest payments and further invest- ments, a limited service life allows the manufacturer to produce replace- ments, thus securing a regular rev- enue stream. The constant search for profitability also drives manufacturers and producers to look for production

methods which save resources, energy and time. Although generally consid- ered positive, this approach becomes problematic when durability is delib- erately sacrificed for the sake of pro- duction gains. The strategy of planned obsolescence – shortening a prod- uct’s lifespan, manufacturing ‘made to break’ items or single-dose goods – undeniably leads to an increase in

The advent of the throw-away culture A selected history of disposables in the United States

Kleenex®

First man-made plastic (Alexander Parkes).

Disposable band-aid

Latex condom

Disposable razor

Tampax®

Sanitary napkin

Paper shirt front, collar and cuff; Rubber condom

One dollar pocket watch

Paper cup

Paper shopping bag

Kitchen paper

Toilet paper

1850

1900

1860

1870

1880

1890

1910

1920

1930

1940

WORLD WAR I

DEPRESSION

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION: PAPER, STEEL AND RUBBER INDUSTRIES GREAT IMPROVEMENTS CHEAP RAW MATERIALS

ADVERTISING STRATEGIES REFINING

FIRST DISPOSABLES TARGETING MEN

WOMEN GRADUALLY IN CHARGE OF THE FAMILY BUDGET: WOMEN-TARGETED DISPOSABLES

DISPOSABLES

A trend fuelled by two new concerns.

HYGIENE

" Selling Mrs. Consumer ", Christine Frederick,1929

HEALTH CONCERNS

Sources: Giles Slade, Made to break. Technology and Obsolescence in America , 2006; Wikipedia, 2011.

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