Contributions of grassroots innovations for sustainable waste management and circular economy

Sebastián Carenzo

Chapter 2 in Handbook of Grand Challenges in Global Production and Innovation Networks, 2025, pp 26-43 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: The research addresses significant gaps in sustainable waste management and the circular economy. These gaps hinder progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 12 on responsible consumption and production. A key area of concern is the lack of attention to innovation and technology in waste management, with an emphasis on grassroots, low-tech innovations in low- and middle-income countries. To address this gap, the chapter examines innovations in the waste picking industry, which foster social inclusion, job creation, and environmental sustainability by transforming discarded materials into valuable products. The research employs a socio-technical and ethnographic approach to highlight the importance of recognizing the expertise of waste pickers in developing sustainable waste management systems.

Keywords: Sustainable waste management; Waste pickers; Innovations; Innovation and technology in waste management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
ISBN: 9781035346509
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