Toxic Colonialism - the offloading of hazardous waste

Welcome to the Meliora podcast from the Sustainability and Resilience Institute at the University of Southampton. This episode is part of the Global Sustainability Challenges Module Student Takeover Season where we discuss ‘toxic colonialism’. We explore disturbing form of modern exploitation, where wealthy developed nations offload their hazardous waste onto less developed countries. It's cheap, convenient, and out of sight for waste-producing nations, but the consequences for the receiving countries is devastating. We’ll explore how toxic colonialism has evolved from historical colonial exploitation; examine shocking case-studies, including recent incidents and discuss the impact on vulnerable communities. We’ll also look ahead to futuristic waste disposal proposals such as space burial and sub-sea containment, and whether they hold any merit, or just raise further ethical and environmental dilemmas. Host: Luke, Guests: Ruby, Peter, and Jamie