A Seat at the Table: Informal Recycling Sector's Role in Plastic Pollution Reduction

It discusses the importance of the informal recycling sector in plastic waste management, particularly in developing countries, and highlights the challenges faced by informal recycling workers. The paper provides an overview of the informal recycling sector, its social, economic, and environmental characteristics, and the challenges it faces. It also examines international and national efforts to recognize informal workers and involve them in formal frameworks and agreements. The paper concludes with a set of policy recommendations to enhance the role of the informal recycling sector in a circular economy and protect the livelihoods of informal recycling workers.