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 This introductory chapter situates the current edited volume at the crossroads of two powerful developments: the exponential growth of global waste generation since the early twentieth century, and the rise of nations of the Asia-Pacific region as economic powerhouses. In the beginning of the essay, Pál and Borowy venture out to explore the global history of waste and discards, as well connect it with the specific cultural-, social-, and economic aspects within the Asia-Pacific region.  By doing so, the authors propose a new waste paradigm, particularly as it pertains to Asia, in which both historical and contemporary definitions of waste are represented. In the second part of the essay, the authors introduce the individual chapters and their relation to the overall theme of the book.  These thematic chapters include case studies related to cities and living, food and human waste, design and art.  By introducing these chapters and describing how they are connected, the second part aims to orient readers about the overall structure of the volume and the interconnections of the various case studies.