Upskilling and Reskilling of Waste Workers in India’s Circular Economy

In this ‘age of Plastic’, our everyday life is largely shaped by synthetic materials. The new plastic and human entanglement created various environmental and health risks. International organizations, national governments, non-governmental organizations, local self-governments, etc., are taking different initiatives to address this paradigmatic problem of our time. In this context, we have witnessed the development of several plastic waste management units/startups in the country, which play a crucial role in the sustainability transition. This has led to a significant increase in sustainability efforts on a large scale in India and, more broadly, in the Global South. The present paper focuses on the Green Worms (GWs), a leading organization in Kerala, India, working on the management of plastic waste and creating a circular economy. It emphasizes the role of waste management infrastructure in upskilling and reskilling the green workforce. It also critically examines how these upskilling approaches are socially and culturally embedded in conditions of the waste workforces and professionals. Lastly, this paper focuses on the social, economic, and environmental impacts of upskilling and reskilling, and how these contributions align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The study is the outcome of a mixed-method approach that includes participant observation, in-depth interviews, and case studies. The study reveals that upskilling and reskilling initiatives benefited the workers in two significant ways. First, the waste management sector and associated jobs are stigmatized in different ways and means. The skill development helped them overcome these traditional stigmas associated with the field. Most of the staff identified themself as dignified workers and the fields as a dignified sector. Second, women workers are marginalized and exploited in different ways. So the upskilling and reskilling create employment opportunities for women from marginalized communities and provide livelihoods to live a dignified life in society.