Building Circular Economies through Community-Based Education

Started in October 2025, this research project aims to understand waste pickers’ experiences and educational needs in Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In these cities, waste pickers are commonly known as binners. They collect beverage containers eligible for a deposit refund, helping return these materials for recycling.

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The project builds on the University for and with Waste Pickers (UNICATA), an initiative created in Brazil in 2023 with the aim of expanding to other countries. As part of the methodology adopted by UNICATA, an initial needs assessment has to be carried out to learn about the specific perceptions, aspirations and demands of the local population addressed in this project. The research is crucial to provide the information allowing for context specific educational interventions.

The project is hosted by the Community-Based Research Lab (CBRL) and the Centre for Global Studies (CFGS) at the University of Victoria. It is funded by a Rethink Waste Community Grant from the Capital Regional District (CRD).

In February 2026, the project signed an agreement with the Binners’ Project, a grassroots organization based in Vancouver. The organization has supported the research process by helping plan the interviews, providing input on the questions, and coordinating with binners to make the interviews possible.

• Project activities have included visits to bottle depots for participant observation, interviews with binners, a workshop, and participation in Coffee Cup Revolution 2026 in Vancouver.

• The project is led by post-doctoral fellow Ana Maria R. C. de Castro and supervised by Professor Jutta Gutberlet. Students who have contributed to project activities include Julias Heins (Geography, UVic), Hazim Ismail (Geography, UVic), John Mba-Wuni Wuntah (Geography, UVic), Allan Oliveira (Environment, Health, and Sustainability, USP), Sofia Costa (Social Communication, UFV), and Sophie Sumner (Geography and Environmental Studies, UVic). Their involvement has offered hands-on experience in community-based research and opportunities to learn about the important but often overlooked work of binners.