Bridging the Informal Sector Gap in EV Battery Recycling | R4S – 15 Years of Expertise in Inclusive Waste Management Across Emerging Markets

We are an impact agency with 15 years of experience in inclusive recycling and waste picker formalization across 18+ countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa. Our clients include the IDB, World Bank, UNDP, UNIDO, AECID, and The Coca-Cola Foundation.

Why R4S for HORIZON-CL5-2026-09-D2-04?

This call explicitly requires projects to "involve the informal sector (i.e., end users, collection points, sales channels)" and develop "innovative and digitalized waste collection systems towards zero-risk" for end-of-life batteries. This is precisely our core expertise.

Our Unique Value Proposition:

We bring a proven methodology for integrating informal actors into formal recycling value chains:

• Census & Socioeconomic Profiling: Identifying and mapping informal collectors, their needs, and operational constraints

• Formalization Pathways: Business registration support, PPE provision, capacity building, and agreements with public administrations

• Digitalized Collection Systems: Route optimization, traceability protocols, and efficiency improvements

• Awareness Campaigns: Community engagement strategies to improve collection quantity and quality

• Value Chain Integration: Connecting informal actors with formal recyclers through structured agreements

Relevant Track Record:

• Morocco (SWITCH2CE/UNIDO): Currently training and formalizing 900+ waste pickers, optimizing collection routes, and implementing traceability tools for PET collection (7,500+ tonnes target)

• Guatemala (Atitlán Recicla): Developed business plans and formalized women waste picker cooperatives

• Latin America (LACRE Network): Strengthened governance across 9 countries' waste picker organizations

What We're Looking For:

We seek to join a consortium as a specialized partner for informal sector engagement activities, specifically contributing to:

• Socioeconomic baseline studies of informal battery collectors in India

• Design and implementation of inclusive collection systems

• Training and capacity building for informal actors

• Development of safe, community-based collection and storage protocols

Contact us if your consortium needs expertise in turning informal recycling networks into formalized, safe, and efficient collection systems – a critical success factor for this EU-India coordinated call.