INFORMAL RECLAIMERS IN THE CONTEXT OF A CIRCULAR ECONOMY

The fact sheet examines the role of informal reclaimers in African cities, highlighting their contribution to waste diversion and the barriers they face, such as health risks and lack of policy recognition. It advocates for a transition from a linear 'take-make-waste' model to an inclusive circular economy where reclaimers are recognised as key stakeholders and involved in earlier stages of the product life cycle, including design. The document provides a status quo analysis and opportunities for various actors—including national and local governments, producers, and civil society—to formalise and support the informal waste sector.

• Informal reclaimers perform a critical function in African waste management by filling the gap between formal systems and recycling services, diverting materials like plastic, cardboard, paper, e-waste, and metal from landfills and illegal dumps to be used as secondary raw materials.
• Reclaimers face significant systemic barriers, including derogatory social perceptions, criminalisation, lack of personal protective gear leading to health risks, and unfair compensation by middlemen.
• The current linear economic model limits reclaimers to end-of-life waste treatment; the document argues they should be involved in the product design stage due to their practical knowledge of material recyclability and local infrastructure.
• To achieve an inclusive circular economy, national governments need to enact regulatory measures for informal sector inclusion, while local governments should contract reclaimers for waste collection and recycling services.

APA

WWF South Africa (n.d.). INFORMAL RECLAIMERS IN THE CONTEXT OF A CIRCULAR ECONOMY. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/informal_reclaimers_in_circular_economy_fs.pdf

Chicago

WWF South Africa. INFORMAL RECLAIMERS IN THE CONTEXT OF A CIRCULAR ECONOMY. n.d. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/informal_reclaimers_in_circular_economy_fs.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF South Africa |title=INFORMAL RECLAIMERS IN THE CONTEXT OF A CIRCULAR ECONOMY |url=https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/informal_reclaimers_in_circular_economy_fs.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfsouthafricandinformal, author = {{WWF South Africa}}, title = {{INFORMAL RECLAIMERS IN THE CONTEXT OF A CIRCULAR ECONOMY}}, institution = {WWF South Africa}, url = {https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/informal_reclaimers_in_circular_economy_fs.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }