We view waste management as a socio-economic system, not merely a logistical function. Our perspective is guided by three core convictions:

• Waste is a resource within a circular economy
• Informal workers are knowledge holders and system actors
• Inclusion is fundamental to sustainable infrastructure

Circular transitions that focus only on resource recovery and overlook labour realities risk inefficiency, inequity, and long-term system failure. Embedding lived expertise into formal structures leads to more adaptive, accountable, and scalable circular systems.