Getting to Zero Waste - a book (2nd Ed. 2023)

In this bold and pioneering work, Paul Palmer lays out the path toward Zero Waste through hard-won anecdotes and academic theory. His experience in fighting for Zero Waste came from building a chemical reuse business, challenging foes such as the EPA and the recycling industry.

His company name was the first use in the whole world of the term Zero Waste. Palmer's theory of Zero Waste is a brilliant synthesis of methods that must be applied to the redesign of all products for reuse, unlike their current designs which are targeted at discard and waste. His mantra is:

DESIGN FOR DISCARD - YOU WILL HAVE DISCARD

DESIGN FOR REUSE - YOU WILL HAVE REUSE

Paul Palmer founded and ran Zero Waste Systems Inc. for ten years, reusing hundreds of tons and millions of dollars worth of unwanted chemicals. They took every single chemical output of Silicon Valley and found new homes for them. They collected all the unwanted laboratory chemicals in the whole Bay Area and made them all available for half price to any one who walked in. ZWS had the largest inventory of lab chemicals in California. The lessons learned by reusing chemicals are no different from the approach required for furniture, appliances, buildings, vehicles, food, industrial equipment and all other products.

This is the Second Edition of this classic book, updated in 2023 to include developments since the First edition was published in 2000.