Managing the Emerging Waste Crisis in Developing Countries’ Large Cities

Rising prosperity around the globe is both welcome and, in many countries, long overdue. However, it brings with it a number of undesirable consequences, such as an increased demand for raw materials, which puts pressure on limited natural resources, and the generation of waste, due to dominant linear economic models of ‘make-use-throw’. The circular economy model proposes a move towards the complete elimination of waste by bringing resources embedded in products back into the production process through repair, re-use and recycling. This Policy Briefing identifies some of the key challenges and opportunities for transitioning waste management into resource management, which engages both the formal and informal sector and provides livelihoods for the urban poor.