SEI | A Waste Hero Alliance: Youth Visions for the inclusion and empowerment of informal waste workers in Asian Circular Cities
Focusing on five areas with an impact on the livelihoods of informal waste workers, this report presents key policy recommendations ideated by youth based on inputs from informal waste workers and feedback from other stakeholders. The Waste Hero Alliance is the result of an innovative multi-stakeholder policy dialogue series that connected informal waste workers and […]
Trang Municipality Establishes its First Informal Waste Workers Network
The initiative aims to better integrate informal waste workers (known as “saleng” in Thai) to into formal recycling systems, strengthen public–private partnerships, and promote sustainable waste practices across the city. 1 June 2025 — Trang’s first informal waste workers network – locally referred to as the Saleng Network – was launched on 29 May 2025 […]
Recycling Solutions Empower Waste Pickers in Türkiye
WWF-Turkiye partners with local NGOs to improve informal recycling in Şahinbey, Türkiye’s second-largest district In January 2024, WWF-Türkiye launched a groundbreaking three-year project titled “Innovative Business Models for Gaziantep Recycling Workers,” funded by the European Union. This initiative targets Şahinbey Municipality—Türkiye’s second-largest district—as a strategic pilot area for transforming waste management practices while improving the […]
Waste Worker Inclusion
Waste Worker Inclusion into the formal waste management system recognizes the value these workers bring to the local economy, particularly waste collection and recycling sectors, and supports their health and safety so they can sustain their livelihoods. TARGET USERS: Individuals, Businesses, Industry, Government KEY CONSIDERATIONS: Today, there are an estimated 15 million waste pickers who remove 15-20% of […]