Batul Sethwala

UR3596

This research studies the critical role of the informal waste sector in Ahmedabad’s urban waste management framework. Unlike the formal system, which largely follows a linear model ending in landfill disposal, the informal sector operates through decentralized, circular practices that enable high levels of recycling and material recovery. Grounded in primary data collected through field interviews with kabadiwalas, sorters, and NGO workers, the study maps the spatial and operational dynamics of informal actors and assesses their contribution to the city’s waste value chain. It positions the informal sector as an essential, though undervalued, infrastructure—arguing for its recognition and integration into formal planning and policy to achieve more sustainable and inclusive waste governance.