Book excerpt: This book is the first volume in a three-volume set on Solid Waste Engineering and Management. It provides an introduction to the topic, and focuses on legislation, transportation, transfer station, characterization, mechanical volume reduction, measurement, combustion, incineration, composting, landfilling, and systems planning as it pertains to solid waste management. The three volumes comprehensively discuss various contemporary issues associated with solid waste pollution management, impacts on the environment and vulnerable human populations, and solutions to these problems.