Against a backdrop of over-consumption of resources and an explosion in the amount of waste we produce, recycling seems like a panacea to the heresy of landfill or incineration. We would like to believe in the virtues of a system that would allow us to continue consuming “as if nothing had happened”, just by making the effort to sort. Public and private-sector communication campaigns perpetuate this mirage, while overlooking the limits of recycling.

A privileged observer of waste management, Flore Berlingen deciphers the promises of this falsely circular economy, which is part of the myth of infinitely recyclable products. She shows how its characteristics, in line with productivism and capitalism, contribute to perpetuating the use of disposables.

At a time when the Covid-19 health crisis is encouraging a resurgence in single-use products, threatening the timid advances of recent years, isn't it urgent to reflect on the industrial-economic model we want to see? To rebalance efforts, resources and funding in favor of truly sustainable resource management?

French

ISBN : 9782374252001