Support Interventions for Informal Circular Economy: A Case Study from Delhi, India

Abstract

While circular economy (CE) discourse emphasises technology-driven solutions and formal systems, cities in the Global South rely on grassroots waste workers (WWs) in the informal sector, who perform essential circular functions through waste collection, sorting, and recycling. In Delhi, informal WWs contribute substantially to material recovery and fill gaps left by formal solid waste management (SWM) systems. However, they face considerable challenges affecting their health, livelihoods, environmental safety, and dignity, limiting their contributions to circular systems. This article examines how support interventions can enhance grassroots WWs’ integration into circular waste management systems while improving their working conditions. Using a qualitative case study approach, the research develops a model of support interventions through systematic analysis of Global South case studies, then tests and refines this model through fieldwork with stakeholders and WWs in Delhi’s SWM sector. The study identifies five intervention pathways and argues that small-scale, decentralised interventions leveraging local knowledge can effectively address systemic barriers while maintaining WWs’ autonomy. The research contributes to CE literature by supporting inclusive approaches for enhancing both social equity and environmental effectiveness. While findings are specific to Delhi’s context, they offer insights for Global South contexts where informal waste systems are central to CE practices.