UrbanSanitation — Our Blog | Plastics For Change

The Journey of Plastics from a Linear to a Circular Economy Model

In recent years, there’s been growing attention on the circular economy—a production model that involves businesses and consumers working together to minimise waste through sharing, lending, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling materials and products. This model offers a stark contrast to the linear model by promoting resource efficiency and sustainable use. The circular model not only eliminates waste but also regenerates resources, turning what is waste for one process into a valuable input for another.

Harsh Realities of Informal Waste Workers in Maharashtra, India

The informal waste economy in Maharashtra is dominated by individuals from historically marginalised communities, such as Scheduled Castes (16.6% of the state’s population) and Scheduled Tribes (9.4%). This demographic faces deep-rooted social stigma and discrimination, leading to the intergenerational persistence of waste work. Mainstream society seldom recognizes their integral contribution, fostering feelings of alienation and isolation among an estimated 100,000 informal waste workers in the state.

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