Includes bibliographical references (p. 241-244) and index.

Why consider opposing viewpoints? -- Introduction -- ch. 1. How do political and social systems affect garbage disposal? -- Chapter preface -- 1. Current municipal waste systems lead to dangerous landfills / Helen Spiegelman and Bill Sheehan -- 2. The United States has room for twenty-first-century garbage / Bjørn Lomborg -- 3. Mandatory recycling promotes environmental awareness / Heather Rogers -- 4. Only necessity will end our wasteful habits / Elizabeth Royte -- 5. Racial minorities suffer disproportionately from toxic landfills / Eileen Gauna and Sheila Foster -- 6. Minority community members sometimes cooperate with illegal dumping / David N. Pellow -- Periodical bibliography -- ch. 2. Is recycling environmentally and economically successful? -- Chapter preface -- 1. Municipalities can profit from well-designed recycling programs / Kivi Leroux Miller -- 2. The benefits of recycling are a myth / David Benjamin -- 3. Flexibility is the key to efficient waste disposal practices / Douglas Clement -- 4. Curbside recycling wastes environmental and economic resources / Asa Janney -- 5. A recycling program may improve social welfare / Richard C. Porter -- 6. Electronics recycling is a thriving, environmentally sound business / Elizabeth Grossman -- Periodical bibliography. ch. 3. Do specific types of waste pose a threat? -- Chapter preface -- 1. Society must address the potential dangers of e-waste / Morgan O'Rourke -- 2. The dangers of e-waste are exaggerated / Dana Joel Gattuso -- 3. Short-term storage of spent nuclear fuel is safe and effective / Matthew L. Wald -- 4. Technical and political difficulties prevent a permanent nuclear waste storage solution / Allison Macfarlane -- 5. Safe low-level radioactive waste storage is impossible / Judith Johnsrud -- 6. Low-level nuclear waste can be disposed of safely / Nuclear Energy Institute -- 7. Sewage sludge recycling poses a threat to human health / Caroline Snyder -- 8. Land application of biosolids is safe / Sam Hadeed -- Periodical bibliography -- ch. 4. Can new technologies solve waste problems? -- Chapter preface -- 1. Modern landfills encourage waste and endanger the environment / Heather Rogers -- 2. Modern landfills are safe for the environment / National Solid Wastes Management Association -- 3. Modern incinerators can safely dispose of waste / Environmental Technology Council -- 4. Recycling beats incineration in the Third World / Brenda Platt -- Periodical bibliography -- For further discussion -- Organizations to contact -- Bibliography of books -- Index.