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When Circular Economy Meets Inclusive Development. Insights from Urban Recycling and Rural Water Access in Argentina

Author

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  • Lucas Becerra

    (Laboratorio Abierto de Innovación y Economía Circular, Instituto de Estudios sobre la Ciencia y la Tecnología, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes (LabIEC-IESCT-UNQ-CIC-BA), Roque Saenz Peña, 352, City of Bernal B1876BXD, Argentina
    Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Godoy Cruz 2290, City of Buenos Aires C1425FQB, Argentina)

  • Sebastián Carenzo

    (Laboratorio Abierto de Innovación y Economía Circular, Instituto de Estudios sobre la Ciencia y la Tecnología, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes (LabIEC-IESCT-UNQ-CIC-BA), Roque Saenz Peña, 352, City of Bernal B1876BXD, Argentina
    Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Godoy Cruz 2290, City of Buenos Aires C1425FQB, Argentina)

  • Paula Juarez

    (Laboratorio Abierto de Innovación y Economía Circular, Instituto de Estudios sobre la Ciencia y la Tecnología, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes (LabIEC-IESCT-UNQ-CIC-BA), Roque Saenz Peña, 352, City of Bernal B1876BXD, Argentina)

Abstract

How is it possible to design and deploy circular economy (CE) strategies oriented to inclusive development? How can non-traditional units of production and consumption (i.e., actual productive actors such as waste picker cooperatives and peasant organizations) be integrated into these strategies? Using data collected as a result of two long-term participatory action research projects carried out with a waste picker cooperative in Buenos Aires and 65 peasant families in Chaco (both located in Argentina) the paper opens the door to a proactive critical debate in terms of how to integrate circular economy principles with the development of technological solutions (artifacts, processes and methods of organization). We show that CE holds great potential, both in terms of its contribution to the generation of new interpretive frameworks and also, in terms of nurturing local and inclusive development strategies when it is integrated with collaborative, bottom-up and innovative dynamics. Based on the idea of working with heterogeneous traditional production units (not only with profit-maximizing firms), it is possible to think of social development avenues for vulnerable populations, where the CE principles build up mechanisms capable of maximizing the transformative potential of the resources (including those understood as waste) presented in actual techno-economic matrices.

Suggested Citation

  • Lucas Becerra & Sebastián Carenzo & Paula Juarez, 2020. "When Circular Economy Meets Inclusive Development. Insights from Urban Recycling and Rural Water Access in Argentina," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-21, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:23:p:9809-:d:450221
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Rafael Ziegler & Cynthia Poirier & Marie Lacasse & Evan Murray, 2023. "Circular Economy and Cooperatives—An Exploratory Survey," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-17, January.
    3. Miha Dominko & Kaja Primc & Renata Slabe-Erker & Barbara Kalar, 2023. "A bibliometric analysis of circular economy in the fields of business and economics: towards more action-oriented research," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(7), pages 5797-5830, July.
    4. Daniel A. Salas & Paulina Criollo & Angel D. Ramirez, 2021. "The Role of Higher Education Institutions in the Implementation of Circular Economy in Latin America," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-27, August.
    5. Nima Norouzi, 2022. "A Practical and Analytic View on Legal Framework of Circular Economics as One of the Recent Economic Law Insights: A Comparative Legal Study," Circular Economy and Sustainability,, Springer.

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