Fresh Kills--a monumental 2,200-acre site on Staten Island--was once the
world's largest landfill. From 1948 to 2001, it was the main receptacle
for New York City's refuse. After the 9/11 attacks, it reopened briefly
to receive human remains and rubble from the destroyed Twin Towers,
turning a notorious disposal site into a cemetery. Today, a mammoth
reclamation project is transforming the landfill site, constructing an
expansive park three times the size of Central Park.
Martin V. Melosi provides a comprehensive chronicle of Fresh Kills that
offers new insights into the growth and development of New York City and
the relationship among consumption, waste, and disposal. He traces the
metamorphoses of the landscape, following it from salt marsh to landfill
to cemetery and looks ahead to the future park. By centering the problem
of solid-waste disposal, Melosi highlights the unwanted consequences of
mass consumption. He presents the Fresh Kills space as an embodiment of
massive waste, linking consumption to the continuing presence of its
discards. Melosi also uses the landfill as a lens for understanding
Staten Island's history and its relationship with greater New York City.
The first book on the history of the iconic landfill, Fresh Kills
unites environmental, political, and cultural history to offer a
reflection on material culture, consumer practices, and perceptions of
value and worthlessness.
