ABSTRACT
Why is waste such an important topic for understanding the management of overflow? First, because waste is a classic symbol of overflow: to be flooded with too much stuff that demands handling, sorting, and decision making is a feeling well known in consumer society. Facts and figures speak of the same overflow. Waste disposal is a growing problem. The downside of consumption is a growing mountain of waste. Increased consumption leads to an increase in the amount of trash. Between the years 2000 and 2006, the amount of packaging in Sweden, for example, increased by almost 150,000 tons to a total of just over 1 million tons.
