Drivers of early waste disposal activities in England

Abstract

This paper aimed to identify drivers that triggered early waste disposal activities in England. Various publications were used to identify historical events related to waste disposal activity, recorded from 1297 to 1948. A synthesis matrix is used to relate various historical events to waste activity. The historical events are then illustrated in a diagram, in order to identify the drivers. This study found that disasters in the form of fire, pandemic diseases and wars, as well as the Industrial Revolution, directly triggered early disposal activities in England (in particular in London).