The fourth lecture in the ASI lecture series “Waste: inevitable evil, avoidable curse, or precious resource?” is given by Ranjith Jayasena and Mara Hanna Voss. The lecture will explore the archaeology of Amsterdam as a waste-made landscape, as well as the Amsterdam Can Collective.
The first part of the dual lecture, given by Ranjith Jayasena, explores Amsterdam's development in the context of persistent waste management challenges from the 15th century onward. Early city regulations against illegal dumping had little impact until authorities recognised the value of waste. With the 1585 First Extension, large-scale urban land reclamation demanded vast amounts of fill, making waste management essential. The use of privies for domestic refuse improved hygiene, while exporting their contents as fertiliser and importing sand for land reclamation established an early circular economy.
The introduction of the deposit system on soda cans in the Netherlands brings about new challenges. The streets seem more polluted than ever, residents are angry and point at the homeless community, deposit machines are often broken, and policymakers struggle to achieve a waste management infrastructure that covers up all this mess. But what is actually happening on the streets of Amsterdam? Together with Mara Hana Voss, in the second part of the lecture we’ll dive into the daily experience of the can collectors in Amsterdam, learn about their way of living, how they manage to survive from “trash” and their perceptions of the system. Central is the question: “Are the problems the system is facing really new, or are they just airing the city’s dirty laundry?”
The Waste Lecture Series is an initiative of ASI together with Freek Colombijn (Faculty of Social Sciences, Social and Cultural Anthropology, VU Amsterdam). Amsterdam Sustainability Institute provides an inclusive umbrella for sustainability-related research at VU.
The event is open for all. Make sure to register!
This event is in-person only. Register using this link.
