For decades, Mexico City operated under an unsustainable linear model of ‘produce, use, and dispose.’ This consumption logic, disregarding the environmental limits of one of the world’s most complex cities, has reached a breaking point. Today, Mexico City demands not just more efficient waste management, but a paradigm shift that places human dignity and social justice at the heart of environmental policy.
The Proposed Reform: Beyond Technical Updates
The initiative, recently presented to the Mexico City Congress with the support of Deputies Nora Arias Contreras and Juan Rubio Gualito, seeks to align local legislation with the new General Law on Circular Economy, published on January 19, 2026. However, this legislative effort transcends a mere technical update. It represents an act of environmental responsibility and, crucially, a response to a historical debt owed to those who, quite literally, sustain the city’s recycling system: informal waste pickers.
In Latin America, 50% of effective recycling is carried out by these often-stigmatized ‘pepenadores.’ They provide essential raw materials for industry, transforming societal waste into reusable resources. Yet, this sector has historically remained invisible, marginalized, and exposed to severe health and economic risks.
The Plight of Informal Recyclers
Data México 2025 figures are stark: approximately 8,600 individuals are formally registered in waste collection in Mexico City, yet they operate under extreme vulnerability. The average reported monthly income is a mere 1,580 pesos, falling below the national average, with an informality rate of 64.7%.
Even more concerning are estimates from civil society organizations, suggesting over 100,000 informal recycling workers, primarily concentrated in the eastern part of the capital. It is for these individuals that the reform legally introduces the concept of Inclusive Recycling. It is no longer enough to simply recycle; a model that recognizes, dignifies, and formally includes those who perform manual separation is imperative.
Inclusive Recycling: A Transversal Axis for Public Policy
The reform proposes that Inclusive Recycling become a transversal axis in all public policy. This obliges the government to implement concrete actions that highlight the social, economic, and environmental contributions of this sector. We cannot discuss industrial modernity without integrating concepts like the Value Chain and Traceability, which allow for clear tracking of materials throughout their lifecycle, ensuring that the benefits of these cycles also reach the most basic levels of collection.
Furthermore, this initiative adopts the Precautionary Principle. In a world facing increasing climate challenges, we must have the legal authority to act against serious environmental risks, even in the absence of absolute scientific certainty at the moment. Prevention must be our best tool.
Gender Perspective in Recycling
We cannot ignore the gender perspective in this process. Historically, women have led waste management efforts in homes and communities, bearing a double burden of work. In the informal recycling sector, they face even greater vulnerability. By formalizing inclusive recycling, we take a firm step towards equity, recognizing environmental care work that has too long been unpaid or poorly remunerated.
Three Pillars of Progress
By approving this reform to the Circular Economy Law, the Economic Development Law, and the Environmental Law, Mexico City will gain on three fundamental fronts:
- Legal Certainty: Eliminating ambiguities by unifying criteria in local laws.
- Environmental Leadership: Adopting national standards for traceability and shared responsibility.
- Human Dignity: Recognizing recyclers as central actors, not peripheral subjects, of the economy.
The circular economy transcends mere material management; its true essence lies in people. Our generation’s challenge is to transition towards a model that regenerates both our natural systems and our social fabric. Mexico City must understand that a sustainable future is, by definition and irrevocably, an inclusive future.
