Side event: Throwaway – the history of a contemporary crisis

Embark on an unprecedented journey into the history of our waste. From the industrial revolution to wartime scarcity and the excesses of consumer society, this temporary exhibition at the House of European History charts the profound changes in the way we deal with rubbish and think about it.

Fragments of Bronze Age objects, samples of white rags used in paper mills in the 19th century, electronic devices – whether industrial or household, toxic or reusable, our rubbish is revealing.

While we tend not to dwell on what we have thrown away, the exhibition invites you to sift through the detritus of our societies, with startling results.

The exhibition itself uses a circularity model of construction, whereby materials employed to build the structures, walls and exhibition work, have been used before the exhibition and will continue their life afterwards, or are made from reused or recycled materials.

WHEN: Open 7/7, 13:00 – 18:00 Mondays, 09:00 – 18:00 Tuesday - Friday, 10:00 – 18:00 weekends

WHERE: House of European History, 135 Rue Belliard (inside Parc Leopold), Brussels

BOOKING: Entrance is free. No reservation needed for individuals. Groups over 10 persons should contact the exhibition curator Christine Dupont: christine.dupont@europarl.europa.eu