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What is it about?

The binners (local term for informal waste recyclers) of Vancouver face many challenges as they work to divert recyclable bottles and cans from the mainstream waste system. The major challenges discussed in this paper include binners’ reduced access to recyclables, occupational health hazards, and the rising tensions between policy makers and binners as a result of contested spaces like the neighborhood curbside. This paper focuses on the work of grassroots organizations such as The Binners’ Project to empower binners to maneuver the difficulties of their day-to-day lives.

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Why is it important?

This paper emphasizes the resilience of binners against exclusionary policies, which prevent low income citizens from accessing the city in ways that support them. The paper highlights how grassroots organizations help to formalize and destigmatize the work of Vancouver’s binners, as a means of promoting a true circular economy and encouraging other big cities to follow suit.