Book excerpt: This book provides a basic understanding of waste management problems and issues faced by modern society. Scientific, technical, and environmental principles are emphasized to illustrate the processes of municipal and industrial solid wastes and liquid wastes, and the nature of impacts resulting from waste dispersal and disposal in the environment. Economic, social, legal, and political aspects of waste management are also addressed. Environmental issues and concerns receive thorough coverage in discussing waste reduction, resource recovery, and efficient and practical waste disposal systems. Other specific topics include recycling, physical and chemical processing, the biological treatment of waste solids, incineration, pyrolysis, and energy recover, hazardous wastes, and landfill management.The role of government and other institutions in waste management and resource recovery matters is also detailed. Discussion questions, worked examples, and end-of-chapter problems reinforce important concepts. Waste Management and Resource Recovery is particularly suitable as a text in waste management courses in environmental science or engineering programs. It also works well as a reference for practitioners in the waste management field.