Presentation short abstract

The research is an investigation of the waste pickers’ informal economy in Palermo, South Italy, and their potential contribution to the co-production of a local just circular economy, through an action-research process, involving the association of the second-hand street market Sbaratto.

Presentation long abstract

For decades, waste-pickers in Palermo have collected materials and objects discarded by local consumption processes, giving them new value in various invisible chains. While a new incinerator project is planned, an actual circular economy strategy is missing, and the informal workers are far to be considered part of an ecological transition.

The theoretical background of the research work is at a crossroad between the emerging just circular economy framework, the post-growth social metabolism, and the urban informality studies. The former aims to incorporate the environmental justice, gender equality and ecological labour in the mainstream circular economy model.

An action-research process is modelled, involving the association of the second-hand market of Palermo in a mutual knowledge agreement. From the one side, a better understanding of the power relationships around the local waste system is provided, along with the interactions between informal activities and the formal waste collection system and workers. From the other side, a bottom-up investigation of the informal reusing, repairing and trading economies and their socio-ecological impacts is lead, in order to stimulate a reflexivity on a community waste prevention strategy.