This chapter explores the historical evolution of garbage disposers in American kitchens, tracing the shift from viewing food waste as valuable to being a disposable burden. It discusses the cultural impact of disposers, the challenges faced by municipalities in waste disposal, and the innovative Jasper Plan that revolutionized waste management in a town.
In the middle of the 20th century, the small town of Jasper, Indiana did something that no other city had done before: they made garbage illegal. The city would still collect some things, like soup cans and plastics, but yucky junk, like food waste, wouldn't get picked up.
This change was made possible by a new appliance: the garbage disposer – that little grinding machine at the bottom of a lot of kitchen sinks.
The Monster Under the Sink