番茄社区

UNICATA University for and with waste pickers (2023-)

UNICATA is a university based on the pedagogy of popular education by Paulo Freire, on the democracy of knowledge, and on the practice of peer learning. It is a partnership between researchers, autonomous and organized waste pickers, social movements, non-governmental organizations, and research centers, established in São Paulo and Brasília in 2023. UNICATA's main objective is to increase access to meaningful knowledge and expand employment opportunities for waste pickers, a sector that comprises over 600,000 people in Brazil, including the most impoverished and vulnerable individuals. This is achieved through peer teaching involving academics and waste pickers collaborating in the design and delivery of the courses. UNICATA applies scientific evidence and experiential learning to overcome the societal constraints and to cocreate new knowledge, preparing waste pickers to become respected and valued service providers in waste management, recycling, and environmental education. These individuals have enormous potential to enhance their contribution to many of the Sustainable

Development Goals (SDGs), making cities and communities healthier and more sustainable. The methodology and pedagogy applied at UNICATA create a teaching practice where instructors and students become agents of change in transforming their lives and society. A course has been developed, comprising 6 thematic modules (each module with 56 hours of classes, research initiation activities, and field visits). The modules are initially implemented as pilot projects and are refined with subsequent cohorts, benefiting from the already developed course materials. 

Youth and Grassroots Engagement in Waste Reduction (2023-2025)

Our overarching goal is to produce scientific evidence on the effects of grassroots and youth initiatives on programs and policies to reduce plastic waste in Canadian (Victoria) and Brazilian (São Bento do Sapucaí and Gonçalves) cities. This work will provide important insights into different ways of thinking about and promoting environmental transition towards waste avoidance and reduction, circular economies, as well as reuse and recycling. The results will question existing waste management practices and provoke alternatives. The co-produced results will advance academic and practical knowledge on urban sustainability. Young people are already spearheading movements for change worldwide, using online social networks and communities to connect, express their voices and campaign for change. The research can further amplify these voices, by connecting different initiatives with each other and by making use of innovative forms of communication and knowledge dissemination. The research will provide an opportunity for diverse initiatives that help curb waste to be placed on the map, thus unlocking their potential for networking, promotion, and dissemination. By setting up youth-led advisories in both study sites the research catalyzes the capacities of youth and grassroots to engage and influence their wider social networks.

Participant-produced innovation videos for inclusive and sustainable waste management (2020-2024)

This project aims at diffusing the grassroots innovations developed by these waste picker organizations (WPO) (in terms of technology, gender, governance, finance, and market) through 1. participatory video production and 2. a policy brief targeting WPO and local governments. The innovation videos will be produced by local teams, instructed by a communicator, with the participation of WPO in Argentina, Brazil, Kenya, and Tanzania. Used as self-educational materials, the videos will be spread out: world-wide, through the communication channels developed by partner organizations. The policy briefs will be diffused through the Swedish Research Institute for Local Democracy’s digital communication channels and meetings with local governments in the respective countries.

Mapping waste governance (2017-2024)

This partnership development project seeks to identify, examine and document grassroots social innovations and challenges in waste governance in different geographic regions. We will capture multiple narratives and use interdisciplinary approaches to formal and informal household waste management. We will focus on change and transition events -- certain types of tipping points, because solid waste generation is reaching a tipping point and current prevailing forms of waste management are clearly not sufficiently taking care of the problem. Good waste governance requires the reconceptualization of waste as a resource and an inclusive approach to waste management, with different waste actors (waste pickers, small scale waste entrepreneurs) and innovative approaches having a voice. Good waste governance addresses poverty reduction, builds community resilience and increases environmental sustainability. Our overall goal is to map the factors, processes, actors and links that entail good waste governance, to understand possible barriers and challenges in household waste management, as well as the factors that generate innovative forms of waste management resilient. Global know-how production, exchange and upscaling in good waste governance and social grassroots innovations remain largely un-explored and our partnership is taking the lead in building this global network on waste governance (SSHRC Partnership Development Grant).

Recycling networks. Grassroots resilience tackling climate, environmental and poverty challenges (2017-2019)

Millions of informal waste pickers collect household waste daily in cities around the globe to earn a living. In doing so, they make a significant contribution to reducing the carbon footprint of cities, recovering resources, improving environmental conditions and health of low-income residents, creating jobs and income among the poor. This project aims at examining the challenges that innovative grassroots initiatives and networks encounter and the livelihood practices they generate, to improve recycling and household waste management in informal settlements of global South cities. The project’s methodology is inspired by participatory action research through a combination of a) a multiple case study on waste picker initiatives in Managua (Nicaragua), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Buenos Aires (Argentina) and São Paulo (Brazil) and Kisumu (Kenya) based on interviews, observations, workshops and document analysis b) joint knowledge co- production with regional and global waste picker networks performing as knowledge hubs for the project c) an in-depth case study of the City of Kisumu, where the learnings from the multi-case studies will be integrated and d) international joint research and waste picker seminars to co-produce knowledge to conceptualize solution to the challenges. Theoretically, the project will also contribute to applying and expanding a combination of theories of socio-environmental and institutional entrepreneurship with resilience theories (SRC The Swedish Research Council Grant).

Rapid assessment of health and livelihood situations of waste pickers in Dhaka City, Bangladesh (2017-2018)

Waste pickers make a livelihood by collecting recyclable waste from various places in low, middle and high income countries. This group of people constitutes the bottom layer of the waste recycling system and is considered one of the key stakeholders in the informal recycling sector in the solid waste management system. Generally, these people are poor, vulnerable to various kinds of occupational health risks/problems and diseases (e.g. flu, bronchitis, body injuries/pain, ulcers, high blood pressure) and are often marginalized. The proposed study will be conducted through participatory action research to assess the health risks and the livelihood status of waste pickers in Dhaka city in Bangladesh. The key aims are to provide some policy recommendations towards sustainable and inclusive solid waste management (UVic Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives - Faculty Research Grant).

Exploring Policies and Innovative Financing Mechanisms for Resource Recovery and Recycling Cooperatives (2017)

This project will develop two case studies on social innovation in waste management in Argentina and Brazil. The results will contribute to the elaboration of a SSHRC partnership development grant project on ‘networking the global community-based socioeconomic initiatives in resource recovery for reuse and recycling’. Exciting innovative experiences in social and solidarity economy are surfacing worldwide. Some cities have made significant progress implementing public policies encouraging the formation of cooperatives and social enterprises as strategy to minimize unemployment and enhance local development. Particularly in municipal waste management we see pioneering examples with cooperative organizations. This project is unique in spearheading research into innovative legal, political, economic and financing mechanisms that strengthen social economy initiatives in waste collection and recycling. Argentina and Brazil are promising countries in these grassroots developments. Both have large populations of waste pickers and the government has designed innovative federal and municipal laws supporting ‘informal’ recycling. What assets, policies, financing strategies are required to overcome barriers? How can communities creatively become re-invigorated by these specific instruments? What can these experiences teach the Canadian context, where community-oriented recycling receives growing attention in generating livelihoods and improving urban sustainability. The research applies a mixed methods case study approach encompassing document searches, key informant interviews, focus group discussions and observations of everyday experiences in recycling cooperatives. The results will potentially benefit any city administration pushing for greater environmental stewardship in solid waste management and will help refine the methodology to upscale the networking of community based economic initiatives in reuse, and recycling on a global scale (UVic Internal Research/Creative Project Grant).

Informal recyclers in a long winter cold country with fast growing economy: A perspective from Mongolian solid waste management systems (2015-2017)

The research seeks to establish baseline data on the state of the livelihoods, recycling activities and health status of informal recyclers in Ulaanbaatar City and in peri-urban Ger areas (informal settlements) in Mongolia. This study will uncover the socio-economic situation of informal workers, which includes homeless and non-homeless populations, occasional recyclers, minorities, and other disadvantaged groups of individuals that engage in the collection and separation of recyclable materials. Furthermore, this research will focus on teasing out the interrelations and power relations involving different actors in solid waste management. This information will help in the development of a social business model for inclusive and integrated waste management developments. The results will support the policy makers in the development of relevant policies that include informal recycling and that will improve the living conditions and earnings as well as help protect the workers from solid waste-borne health risks and hazards. Finally, the data from this study will benefit other stakeholders such as enterprises involved in the informal recycling service chain, NGOs, and community based organizations (CBOs) in developing inclusive waste management strategies.

Improving basic urban services in informal settlements - Linking waste research in Global South cities (2013-2016)

This project aims at explaining the challenges and potential solutions in improving living conditions in informal settlements in cities of the Global South, via co-production in waste management. In informal settlements, poorly connected to formal services, waste pickers often collect and separate household solid waste. This activity results in many benefits to the urban community, as it improves residents’ quality of life and environmental health, generates income, and reduces the environmental footprint of the city. Yet, the waste pickers are one of the most excluded and impoverished segments of society. Many waste management programs have been launched to improve this situation, but both in policy and research there is an increasing concern with the knowing-doing-gap: the relationship between the goal of a sustainable waste management and what is achieved. The research questions are: how are waste management programs translated into practice in informal settlements? What are the organizational, social, and spatial difficulties encountered in the organizing of waste management services? How can such difficulties be overcome? The questions are answered through a) case studies of three cities (Diadema, Kisumu and Managua) where different participatory waste management programs have already been implemented b) interactive workshops with waste actors in each city, and c) scholar seminars in the cities to compare and contextualize the findings among a diverse set of stakeholders and academics. A relational understanding of organizing and space, influenced by Action-Net and Actor-Network Theory is the theoretical starting-point.

Participatory action oriented research on waste co-production in Brazil (2012-2016)

The daily generation of large volumes of solid waste represents one of the most critical challenges for cities worldwide. In the Global South, approximately 1% of the urban population works in informal and organized selective waste collection, separation and commercialization. The Participatory Sustainable Waste Management (PSWM) project, a University Partnership in Development project between the University of São Paulo and the 番茄社区 has focused on formal and informal waste management in the context of the cities in the Global South. These action oriented research interventions have studies the challenges in cooperative recycling in the metropolitan region of São Paulo, between 2006 and 2012.

A follow-up project (the Coopcent ABC – SENAES/MTE 004 project), funded by the Ministry of Solidarity Economy of Brazil, is a continuation of the PSWM initiative and focuses particularly on scaling up experiences in coop recycling and strengthening cooperative networks for collective commercialization. The research uses a situated urban political ecology theoretical framework to analyze daily practices in solid waste management for structural change. The methodology applied is participatory and relies on workshops, interviews, diagraming, focus groups, and participatory observation.

Policy and Outreach for Re-Shaping Waste into Resources (2010-2016)

The Community-based Research Lab collaborates locally, regionally, and internationally with other community-based initiatives and research centers. The laboratory also draws on knowledge generated through the lived experiences of marginalized groups such as informal and organized recyclers. The result is the exploration of more sustainable, equitable, and environmentally sound models of waste reduction and management. Changes to existing waste management practices are essential for climate change mitigation to be successful, as current patterns of consumption drive an unsustainable linear system of wasted resources and lost energy, of environmental pollution and ultimately contributions to greenhouse gas emissions. The accumulation of knowledge through participatory research has stimulated the need for wider dissemination. Such a need has outpaced the ability of the CBRL to communicate knowledge to diverse audiences, including policy-makers, practitioners, and the general public.  For changes in waste management to take place, we must move beyond academic forms of knowledge diffusion (such as academic peer reviewed articles) to mobilize useful knowledge that can change practices and behaviors, resulting in economic and environmental gains. There is an urgent need to widely promote the responsible consumption of goods and resources, to reduce the transportation of solid wastes, and to generate less waste that ends up in landfills or incinerators. This research engages with the mobilization of knowledge collectively generated, particularly under the PSWM project and other previous solid waste related projects to achieve wider and multi-scalar dissemination of crucial socio-environmental information. The forms of dissemination privileged in this project are video, photography, flyers, posters, booklets and seminar, conference and workshop presentations.

We can make the world a better place through education. I believe that education, including genuine knowledge building and refinement of skills, can contribute significantly to the formation of emancipated, responsible and aware citizens and professionals.  I consider this to be among the major goals to be achieved with higher education. Teaching and learning are interactive, constructive processes that go both ways between teachers and students. Teaching - educating or instructing - is an activity that communicates knowledge and/or skills. To me learning is a cognitive process of getting to know, becoming aware of something and finally incorporating and being able to use as acquired knowledge. The educational experience at the university serves the purpose of creating academically well-prepared, aware and responsible citizens and at the same time helps to continuously nourish the processes of re-examination, refinement and growth of the teacher involved in this endeavor, in the sense of Paulo Freire’s ‘conscientization’. Freire termed critical education as linked to transformative social practices, enabling people to write their own history and overcome adverse circumstances and factors that might condition them.

At UVic I teach the following courses:

• GDS   202: Global Development Studies
• GEOG 324: Directions in Geography
• GEOG 327: Research Methods in Human Geography
• GEOG 332: Urban Development in the Global South
• GEOG 388: Regional Geography of Brazil
• GEOG 491: Geographies of Waste
• GEOG 546: Advanced Topics in Human and Social Geography

Recent Peer reviewed articles

Gutberlet, J. & de Carvalho Vallin, I. (2024). Waste picker rights and social inclusion: the creation of a university with knowledge democracy. Detritus 26, 14-122. DOI .

Borba, J.; Bonatti, M.; Medina, L.; Löhr, K.; Tremblay, C.; Gutberlet, J. & Sieber, S. (2024). Climate change education through drama and social learning: Playful inquiry for building extreme weather events adaptation scenarios. Journal of Adult and Continuing Education, 1-19. 14779714241227833.

Gutberlet, J. (2023) Grassroots innovations in solid waste management Detritus, 23, pp. VII-X. 

Mesquita, J.L.C.; Gutberlet, J.; de Araujo, K.P.; Cruvinel, V.R.N.; Duarte, F.H. (2023). Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Based on Social Recycling: A Case Study with Waste Picker Cooperatives in Brasília, Brazil. Sustainability, 15, 9185. 

Gutberlet, J. (2023). Global plastic pollution and informal waste pickers. Cambridge Prisms: Plastics, 1, E9. doi: https://doi.org/10.1017/plc.2023.10

Gutberlet, J. (2023) Grassroots Eco-Social Innovations Driving Inclusive Circular Economy. Detritus (online first), 1-10. .

Gutberlet, J.; Azevedo, A. M. M.; Morais, L.; Bacic, M. J. & Mesquita, M. S. (2023) Social urban movements in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic: Waste picker organizations as public policy deliverers. Environment & Urbanization, 35 (1): 255-274 

Carenzo, S.; Goodluck, C.; Gutberlet, J. Kain, J.-H.; Oloko, M.; Pérez Reinosa, J.; Zapata, P. & Zapata Campos, M. J. (2022) Grassroots innovations in 'extreme' urban environments. The inclusive recycling movement. Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space. 23 pp. (online first) 

Kain, J.-H.; Zapata, P.; de Azevedo, A. M. M.; Carenzo, S.; Charles, G.; Gutberlet, J.; Oloko, M. Reynosa, J. P. and Zapats Campos, M. J. (2022) Characteristics, challenges, and innovations of waste picker organizations: a comparative perspective between Latin American and East African countries. PlosOne, 1-27. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265889

Azevedo, A. M. M.; Gutberlet, J.; Dias de Araujo, S. & Harada, F. (2022) Impacts of Covid-19 on organized waste pickers in selected municipalities in the State of São Paulo, Ambiente & Sociedade, 25, 

Azevedo, A. M. M.; Gutberlet, J.; Dias de Araujo, S. & Harada, F. (2022) Impactos da Covid-19 sobre catadores de materiais recicláveis organizados no Estado de São Paulo. Ambiente & Sociedade, 25, 

Uddin, M. S. N., Gutberlet, J., Chowdhury, A. T., Parisa, T. A., Nuzhat, S. & Chowdhury, S. N. (2022) Exploring waste and sanitation-borne hazards in Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, 

Ghezeljeh, A., Gutberlet, J, & Cloutier, D. (2022) Recent challenges and new possibilities with urban agriculture in Victoria, British Columbia, Journal of Canadian Geographer. 66 (3) 

Markley, L. A., Gündogdu, S., Markley, L. A., Olivelli, A., Khan, F. R., Gwinnett, C., Gutberlet, J. et al. (2022) Plastic Pollution, Waste Management Issues and Circular Economy Opportunities in Rural Communities. Sustainability, 14 (20), pp. 1-48. 

Giatti, L. L.; Gutberlet, J.; Toledo, R. F. & Santos, F. N. P. (2021) Pesquisa participativa reconectando diversidade: democracia de saberes para a sustentabilidade. Revista Estudos Avançados, 35 (103): 237-253. .

Gutberlet, J., Sorroche, S., Martins Baeder, A., Zapata, P. & Zapata Campos, M. J. (2021) Waste pickers and their insurgent practices of environmental stewardship. The Journal of Environment & Development, 30 (4), 369-394.

Sholanke, D. & Gutberlet, J. (2021) Call for Participatory Waste Governance: Waste Management with Binners in Vancouver. Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning, 24 (2): 94-108.  

Amauchi, J., Gauthier, M., Ghezeljeh, Z., Giatti, L., Keats, K., Sholanke, D., Zachari, D. & Gutberlet, J. (2021) The power of community-based participatory research: Ethical and effective ways of researching. Community Development, 53 (1): 3-20. DOI: 10.1080/15575330.2021.1936102

Giatti, L. L., Agum Ribeiro, R., Ferreira Dales Nava, A., Gutberlet, J. & Azevedo, A. M. M. (2021) Emerging complexities and rising omission: contrasts among socio-ecological contexts of infectious diseases, research and policy in Brazil. In: Genetics and Molecular Biology, 44, 1(suppl 1), 1-9.  DOI: 

Giatti, L. L., Agum Ribeiro, R., Ferreira Dales Nava, A., Gutberlet, J. & Azevedo, A. M. M. (2021) Complexidades e omissōes emergentes: contrastes entre os contextos socioecológicos das doenças infecciosas, da pesquisa e da política no Brasil. Faculdade de Saúde Pública Universidade de São Paulo. 

Gutberlet, J. (2021) Grassroots waste picker organizations addressing the UN sustainable development goals. World Development, 138 (2021) 105195. 

Sholanke, D. & Gutberlet, J. (2020) Informal recycling in Vancouver: Binners’ challenges and opportunities. Detritus, 13: pages I-IV.  

Gutberlet, J. & Carenzo, S. (2020) Waste Pickers at the Heart of the Circular Economy: A Perspective of Inclusive Recycling from the Global South. Worldwide Waste: Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 3(1): 6, 1–14. DOI: 

Gutberlet, J., Besen, G. R. & Morais, L. (2020) Participatory solid waste governance and the role of social and solidarity economy: Experiences from São Paulo, Brazil. Detritus, 13: 167-180. 

Lau, W. W. Y, … Gutberlet, J., …. (2020) Evaluating scenarios toward zero plastic waste. Science, 369 (6510):1455-1461. doi: 10.1126/science.aba9475

Gutberlet, J. (2020) Transforming cities globally: essential public and environmental health services provided by informal sector workers. One Earth, 3(3): 287-289. 

Besen, R. & Gutberlet, J. (2020) Os catadores de materiais recicláveis e a COVID-19. Dialogos SocioAmbientais na Mactrometropole. . 26-27.

Uddin, S. M. N., Gutberlet, J., Ramezani, A. & Nasiruddin, S. M. (2020) Experiencing the everyday of waste pickers: A sustainable livelihoods and health assessment in Dhaka City, Bangladesh. Journal of International Development, 

Gutberlet, J., Bramryd, T. & Johansson, M. (2020) Expansion of the Waste-Based Commodity Frontier: Insights from Sweden and Brazil. Sustainability, 12, 2628. DOI: 

Uddin, S. M. N., Lapegue, J., Gutberlet, J., Adamowski, J. F., Dorea, C. C. & Sorezo, F. (2019) A Traditional Closed-Loop Sanitation System in a Chronic Emergency: A Qualitative Study from Afghanistan. Water, 11, 298; .

Sobral Santos, M.L. & Gutberlet, J. (2018) Transformando relações entre sociedade e resíduos.  Caderno Diálogos Socioambientais na Macrometrópole, 1 (Dec.): 30-37. 

Uddin, S. M. N. & Gutberlet, J. (2018) Livelihoods and health status of informal recyclers in Mongolia. Resources, Conservation & Recycling, 134: 1–9. 

Gutberlet, J. & Uddin, S. M. N. (2017) Household waste and health risks affecting waste pickers and the environment in low- and middle-income countries. International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health, 23(4): 299–310 

Gutberlet, J., Kain, J.-H., Nyakinya, B., Oloko, M., Zapata, P., & Zapata Campos, M. J. (2016). Bridging Weak Links of Solid Waste Management in Informal Settlements. The Journal of Environment & Development.

Gutberlet, J. (2016). Ways Out of the Waste Dilemma: Transforming Communities in the Global South. In: “A Future without Waste? Zero Waste in Theory and Practice,” edited by Christof Mauch, RCC Perspectives: Transformations in Environment and Society, no. 3, 55–68.

Gutberlet, J. & Kain, J-H.; Nyakinda, B.; Oshieng, D. H.; Odhiambo, N.; Oloko, M.; Omolo, J.; Omondi, E.; Otieno, S.; Zapata, P. & Zapata Campos, M. J. (2016). Socio-environmental entrepreneurship and the provision of critical services in informal settlements. Environment and Urbanization, 28: 205-222. .

Gutberlet, J. (2015). Cooperative urban mining in Brazil: Collective practices in selective household waste collection and recycling. Waste Management. 45: 22-31.

Gutberlet, J. (2015). More inclusive and cleaner cities with waste management co- production: Insights from participatory epistemologies and methods. Habitat International. 46: 234-243.

Gutberlet, J. (2013). Gestão de resíduos sólidos. Revista de Geografia (UFPE), 30 (1): 6-23. Gutberlet, J. (2013). Briefing: Social facets of solid waste: insights from the global   south. Waste                and          Resource Management,         166          (WR3): 110–113.

King, M. & Gutberlet, J. (2013). Contribution of cooperative sector recycling to greenhouse gas emissions reduction: a case study of Ribeirão Pires, Brazil. Waste Management, 33 (12): 2771-2780. .

Nunn, N. & Gutberlet, J. (2013). Cooperative recycling in São Paulo, Brazil: towards an emotional consideration of empowerment. Area, 45 (4): 452-458. DOI: 10.1111/area.12052.

Gutberlet, J.; Baeder, A. M.; Pontuschka, N. N.; Felipone, S. M. N. & dos Santos, T. L. F. (2013). Participatory Research Revealing the Work and Occupational Health Hazards of Cooperative Recyclers in Brazil. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 10 (10): 4607-4627. DOI:10.3390/ijerph10104607.

Gutberlet, J. & Jayme, B. de O. (2012). A história do meu rosto: como agentes ambientais percebem a estigmatização (re-)produzida pelo discurso. Geografia em Questão, 5 (2): 183- 200.

Gutberlet, J. (2012). Middle class alliances to end poverty? Commentary on Victoria Lawson’s essay: “De-centering Poverty Studies: middle class alliances and the social construction of poverty. Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography. 33: 20–24 DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9493.2012.00444.x

Binion, E. & Gutberlet, J. (2012). The effects of handling solid waste on the wellbeing of informal and organized recyclers: A review of the literature. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health. 18 (1): 43-52.

Gutberlet, J. (2012).  Informal and cooperative recycling as a poverty eradication   strategy.

Geography Compass, 6/1 (2012): 19–34, DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-8198.2011.00468.x.

Yates, J. S. & Gutberlet, J. (2011). Re-claiming and re-circulating urban natures: Integrated organic waste management in Diadema, Brazil. Environment and Planning A, 43 (9): 2109 – 2124.

Yates, J. S. & Gutberlet, J. (2011). Enhancing livelihoods and the urban environment: The local political framework for integrated organic waste management in Diadema, Brazil. Journal of Development Studies, 47 (4): 1-18.

Tremblay, C. & Gutberlet, J. (2011). Empowerment through participation: assessing the voices of leaders from recycling cooperatives in São Paulo, Brazil. Community Development Journal, 46 (3): 282-302 [Online: DOI: 10.1093/cdj/bsq040].

Books and book chapters

Gutberlet, J. & de Carvalho Vallin, I. (2024) Grassroots social innovation of waste pickers as critique of the existing social order. In: Corvellec, H. (Editor): Waste as a Critique. Oxford: Oxford University Press (under review). 

Mihai, F.-C.; Meidiana, C.; Elagroudy, S; Ulman, S.-A.; Gutberlet, J. & Carvalho, C. (2024) Plastic waste management for zero waste to landfills: potential, challenges, and opportunities. Ch. 6 in: Mihai, F.-C. (Editor) Zero waste management technologies: “Advanced transformations for resource development and environmental protection”. Springer Nature Switzerland (under review).

Jaeger-Erben, M.; Becker, F.; Prūse, B.; Mendoza, J. N.; Gutberlet, J. & Rodrigues E. (2023) Citizen Science. In: Philipp, T., & Schmohl, T. Handbook Transdisciplinary Learning. Higher Education: University Teaching & Research Volume 6, pp. 41-51.

Gutberlet, J. (2021). Wastepicker organizations and urban sustainability. In The Routledge Handbook of Waste Studies (pp. 275-290). Routledge.

Gutberlet, J. (2020) Prefacio. In: Francelino Gonçalves-Dias, S. L.; Sakurai, T. &Ziglio, L. (Org.)  . Pp. 11-14. São Paulo: Editora Blucher. 

Frey, K.; Ferreira Ramos, R.; Gutberlet, J. & Anjos, L. A. P. dos (2020) ODS 17 – Parcerias e meios de implementação. In: Frey, K.; Torres, P. H.; Jacobi, P. R.; Ramos, R. F. (Orgs.) Os Objetivos do Desenvolvimento Sustentável – desafios para o planejamento e a governança ambiental da Macrometrópole Paulista.  Santo André, Editora da UFABC.

Gutberlet, J. (2020) Pesquisa-ação e participação universitária nas transformações socioambientais. In: Freire, A. F.; Ramos Júnior, D. V.; Mota Machado, L. & Cavalcante da Silva, M. Cultura e território em foco: Uma abordagem interdisciplinar. Porto Alegre, RS: Editora Fi, pp. 21-35.

Frey, K. & Gutberlet, J. (2019) Democracia e governança do clima - diálogos Norte-Sul. In: Torres, P.; Jacobi, P.; Barbi, F. & Gonçalves, L. R. (Orgs.) Governança e Planejamento Ambiental: Adaptação e políticas públicas na Macrometrópole Paulista. Rio de Janeiro, LetraCapital, pp. 23-30.

Gutberlet, J. (2018). Waste in the City: Challenges and Opportunities for Urban Agglomerations, Urban Agglomeration(Edited Volume, by Ergen, M.), InTech, DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.72047. Available: 

Gutberlet, J. (2016) Urban Recycling Cooperatives: Building Resilient Communities. London, New York: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. 183 pp.

Gutberlet J., Jayme de Oliveira B. & Tremblay C. (2016) Arts-Based and Participatory Action Research with Recycling Cooperatives. Chapter in: Rowell, L. L., Bruce, C., Shosh, J. M.,   Riel, M. (Eds.) Palgrave International Handbook of Action Research, Palgrave Macmillan US. EBook ISBN 978-1-137-40523-4. 10.1057/978-1-137-40523-4, pp. 699-715.

King, M. F., Gutberlet, J. & da Silva, D.M. (2016) Contribuição de cooperativas de reciclagem para a redução de emissão de gases de efeito estufa (Contribution of recycling cooperatives to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions). In: Jaquetto Pereira, B. C. & Lira Goes, F. (Org), Catadores de materiais recicláveis: um encontro nacional. Instituto de Pesquisa Econômica Aplicada (Ipea). ISBN 978-85-7811-267-7, pp. 507-536.

Gutberlet, J.; Baeder, A. M.; Pontuschka, N. N.; Felipone, S. M. N.; dos Santos, T. L. F. & de Souza, M. A. (2016). Pesquisa-ação em educação ambiental e saúde dos catadores: Estudo de caso realizado com integrantes de cooperativas de coleta seletiva e reciclagem na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo, Brasil (Action research for environmental education and occupational health: A study with members of recycling cooperatives in metropolitan São Paulo). In: Jaquetto Pereira, B. C. & Lira Goes, F. (Org), Catadores de materiais recicláveis: um encontro nacional. Instituto de Pesquisa Econômica Aplicada (Ipea). ISBN 978-85-7811- 267-7, pp. 201-216.

Gutberlet, J. & Tremblay, C. (2015) Peace and social inclusion: Experiences with recycling cooperatives in Brazil and Canada. In: MacPherson, I. & Paz, Y. The Relevance of Co- operatives to Peace. Edited and published by Joy Emmanuel Edited, pp. 213-220.

Rodrigues, G., A. Azevedo, and J. Gutberlet. (2015). Parcerias Público-Privadas no Tratamento de Resíduos Sólidos. Opções e impactos socioambientais no Caso de São Bernardo do Campo/SP (Public-private partnerships in solid waste disposal. The Case of São Bernardo City). In Serie Ciclo de Debates Alianças Público-Privadas para o Desenvolvimento: Experiências brasileiras e desafios para fortalecimento de Alianças Público-Privadas para o Desenvolvimento. Banco Interamericano de Desenvolvimento. Brasília: IDB, ISBN: 978-85-99515-20-4, pp. 173–-187.

Gutberlet, J. & Donoso, M. (2015). Zero waste: climate mitigation and poverty reduction  with cooperative recycling. In: Hirsch, T., Lottje, C. & Netzer, N. (Eds.) Exploring Sustainable Low Carbon Development Pathways. Pioneers of Change. 21 good practices for sustainable  low   carbon   development   in   developing   countries.   Electronic   ed.:   Berlin: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. ISBN 978-3-95861-285-3 pp. 25-37.

Tremblay, C.; Gutberlet, J. & Bonatti M. (2015) Celebrating Community-University Research Partnerships: Experiences in Brazil. In: Hall, B.; Tandon, R. & Tremblay,  C. (Eds.), Strengthening community university research partnerships: global perspectives. Victoria: 番茄社区 and PRIA, pp. 73-94.

Gutberlet, J., Tremblay, C. & Moraes, C. S. V. (2014). The community based research tradition in Latin America. In: Higher Education and community based research, Edited by Munch, Mellrath, Hall, B. and Tandon, R., London: Palgrave Macmillian Publishers, pp. 167-246.

Gutberlet, J. & Baeder, A. (2014). A educação participativa e inclusão social de catadores de materiais recicláveis (Participatory education and social inclusionof informal recyclers). In: Loschiavo dos Santos, M. C., Walker, S. & Lopes Francelino Gonçalves, S. (Eds.): Design, Resíduo & Dignidade, São Paulo: Editora Olhares. ISBN 978-85-62114-35-9, pp. 419-436.

Gutberlet, J. & Baeder, A. (2014). Community-based education and social inclusion of informal and organized recyclers in resource recovery. In: Loschiavo dos Santos, M. C., Walker, S. & Lopes Francelino Gonçalves, S. (Eds.): Design, Waste & Dignity, São Paulo: Editora Olhares. ISBN 978-85-62114-35-9. pp. 411-427.

Gutberlet, J. (2014). Replenishing the earth through informal and cooperative recycling. In: Bardi, U. (Ed.) Extracted. How the quest for mineral wealth is plundering the planet: a report to the Club of Rome. Vermont: Chelsea Green Publishing, pp. 218-224.

Gutberlet, J. (2013). Informal cooperative recyclers tackle global environmental challenges. In: ISSC and UNESCO (2013), World Social Science Report 2013, Changing Global Environments, OECD Publishing and UNESCO Publishing, Paris, pp.: 326-332.

Gutberlet, J. (2013). Suffizienz und Wertstoffrückgewinnung statt Rohstoffverschwendung (Sufficiency resource recovery instead of waste). In: Bardi, U. (Ed.) Der geplünderte Planet. Die Zukunft des Menschen im Zeitalter schwindender Ressourcen. Oekom, Muenchen, pp. 295-302.

Gutberlet, J. & Takahashi, N. (2012). Pesca artesanal e pesquisa participativa: Aprender com a comunidade de pescadores em Arraial do Cabo, Brasil (Artisanal fisheries and participatory research: Learning from fishing communities in Arraial do Cabo, Brazil). In: Caldasso, L. Valle, R. & Vinha, V. In: Governança em Reserva Extrativista Marinha. Rio de Janeiro: Pod Editora. ISBN: 978-85-8225-009-9, pp.

Other Publications (reports, peer reviewed proceedings, video documentaries, community- outreach brochures)

Gutberlet, J. (2016). Regenerating cities with community-based inclusive waste management practices. Sustainable City 2016 Conference paper, Vol. 204 of the WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment (ISSN: 1743-3541).

Kain, J-H., Oloko, M.; Zapata, P., Zapata Campos, M. J. & Gutberlet, J. (2015) Obunga clean-up and waste pickers 2014-2015. (Video)

Gutberlet, J. (2015). Action-oriented research on community recycling in São Paulo, Brazil. In: Dearden, P. & Mitchell, B. (Eds.) 2015. Environmental Change and Challenge, 5th Ed, Don Mills: Oxford University Press, pp. 115-116 (Textbook contribution)

Carrieri, A. & Gutberlet, J. (2014) Catadoras and Catadores: Working in recycling cooperatives. Access: (Video)

Gutberlet, J. & Carrieri, A. (2014). Catadoras and Catadores: Working in recycling cooperatives. (Broshure).

Gutberlet, J. (2014). Recycling cooperatives. In: Liboiron, M., Acuto, M. & Nagle, R (Eds). Discard Studies Compendium. Accessible at:

Gutberlet, J. (2014). Participatory Action Research. In: Liboiron, M., Acuto, M. & Nagle, R (Eds). Discard Studies Compendium. Accessible at:

King, M. & Gutberlet, J. (2014). Avaliação da contribuição de cooperativas de reciclagem para a redução de emissão de gases de efeito estufa: Oportunidade para participar no mercado de crédito de carbono. Encontro Nacional “Conhecimento e Tecnologia: Inclusão Socioeconômica de Catadores(as) de Materiais Recicláveis”. Brasília, 20 to 22.08.2014 (Conference Proceeding).

Gutberlet, J. Baeder, A. M., Pontuschka, N. N. Felipone, S. M. N., dos Santos, T. L. F. & de Souza, A. M. (2014). Pesquisa-ação em educação ambiental e saúde dos catadores. Encontro Nacional “Conhecimento e Tecnologia: Inclusão Socioeconômica de Catadores(as) de Materiais Recicláveis”. Brasília. 20 to 22.08.2014 (Conference Proceeding).

Gutberlet, J. (2014). Recycling cooperative networks - building resilient communities. Regional Studies Association European Conference 2014. Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Business, Izmir, Turkey, 15.-18.06.2014 (Conference Proceeding).

Gutberlet, J. (2014). Cooperative Urban Mining. SUM 2014, Second Symposium on Urban Mining. Bergamo, Italy 19-21 May 2014 (Conference Proceeding).

King, M. & Gutberlet, J. (2013). Carbon credits and recycling (Brochure).

Caldasso, L. P. Vinha, V. da & Gutberlet, J. (2012). Direitos de propriedade comum: uma abordagem metodológica para reservas marinhas extrativistas no Brasil. VI Encontro Nac. ANPPAS, Belém, Pará. 18.-21.09.2012. (Conference Proceeding).

Pontuschka, N. N. Gutberlet, J., Baeder, A. M., Marins, A. M., Cardozo, F. L., Honorato, M. L., Freitas Takahashi, M. R. & Dias, S. A. (2012). Dialogo, participacao e sustentabilidade:  A coleta seletiva no projeto Brasil-Canada. FEUSP. ISBN: 978-85-60944-37-8 (Conference Proceeding).

Pontuschka, N.N. Gutberlet, J., Baeder, A., Felipone, S.M.N., dos Santos, T.L.F. & Dias, S.A. (2012). Environmental Education and Health (Brochure).

Pontuschka, N.N. Gutberlet, J., Baeder, A. M., Marins, A.M., Cardozo, F.L., Honorato, M.L., Freitas Takahashi, M. R. & Dias, S.A. (2012). Collective commercialization of recyclable material (Brochure).

Gutberlet, J. (2012). Action-oriented research on community recycling in São Paulo, Brazil. In: Dearden, P. & Mitchell, B. (Eds.) 2012. Environmental Change and Challenge, 4th Ed, Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 116-117.

Gutberlet, J. (2012). Co-creation of knowledge on occupational health. Interact. The Association of Commonwealth Universities, 2: August 2012, pp. 3-4 (News article).

Albanás Couto, G., Gutberlet, J. Pontuschka, N.N., Baeder, A. & Dias de Araujo, S. (2012). Seminário Internacional de Coleta Seletiva. Encerramento do Projeto Gestão Participativa e Sustentável de Resíduos Sólidos (PSWM) / Projeto Brasil-Canadá e Construção de perspectivas de inclusão e de sustentabilidade. Santo Andre (Report).