On a daily basis remnants, scraps, rubbish, and junk are filtered through both formal and informal salvage operations in urban centers throughout the world. The essays included in this volume explore the process of recycling within distinct environments.

On a daily basis remnants, scraps, rubbish, and junk are filtered through both formal and informal salvage operations in urban centers throughout the world. The essays included in this volume - "Muffler Men, Menecos and Other Welded Wonders: Occupational Sculpture from Automotive Debris," "Streetwise: The Mafundi of Dar es Salaam," and "Castoff/Outcast: Living on the Street" - explore the process of recycling within distinct environments. What emerges is a remarkable justaposition of diverse material behaviours informing the "lived experiences" of residents of Los Angeles, Tokyo, Sao Paulo, and Dar es Salaam.