New Insights on Slums and Circular Economies Highlight Waste Management Impact
Researchers from Charles Darwin University in Australia have shed light on how informal settlements in developing regions could drive circular city models through smarter waste management. The findings are published in Nature Sustainability.
The study compares everyday practices in crowded neighborhoods with the core ideas of the circular economy, which emphasizes zero waste production and the reuse of materials through recycling and reuse loops.
Across India, South Africa, Peru, and other developing nations, many residents of slums earn a living by collecting and sorting waste. This work fosters practical knowledge about waste streams, enabling people to sort and recover valuable materials for recycling and resale.
In Dharavi, Mumbai, which is among the world’s largest informal settlements, waste segregation and recycling can account for a large share of the city’s processing, with collectors closing the loop in the recycling and reuse chain. This practice is described as a vital component of the circular economy and a catalyst for cities built on these principles, according to the study team.
Experts contend that involving slum dwellers as waste collection and recycling professionals can strengthen marginalized communities and speed up the development of new settlements that mirror circular models.
Earlier research has explored methods to transform plastic waste into useful products, including soap, demonstrating practical pathways from waste to value that support sustainable urban living.