330 Cities Back Street Vendors to Build Greener Future

The people selling tacos from carts and collecting recyclables from city streets might just be heroes of sustainable urban growth.

The Milan Urban Food Policy Pact just brought together 330 cities from around the world with a refreshing commitment. Instead of cracking down on street vendors and waste pickers, they're recognizing these workers as vital parts of creating sustainable, fair food systems for the future.

The timing couldn't be better. Cities are now home to 45% of the world's population, and that number will jump to 68% by 2050. How we feed all those people and manage their waste will shape our planet's future.

Street vendors have long provided affordable, nutritious meals to millions of city dwellers while supporting their own families. Research shows street food is often healthier than highly processed fast food options. Yet many cities have treated vendors as problems to eliminate rather than partners to support.

That's starting to change. New York City repealed criminal penalties for mobile food vendors in September 2025 after advocacy from the Street Vendor Project. The shift recognizes that good policy means supporting vendors, not marginalizing them.

Waste pickers are getting similar overdue recognition. These workers collect nearly 60% of all plastic gathered for recycling globally, according to a 2020 study. Since food waste causes up to 10% of greenhouse gas emissions, helping the world's 20 million waste pickers do their jobs better could make a real environmental difference.

Successful models are already emerging. Brazilian cities have partnered with waste picker organizations to improve recycling systems. Vancouver's Binners Project and Montreal's Les Valoristes show how wealthy cities can integrate informal recyclers. The National Street Vendor Association of India and Manila's Linis-Ganda initiative prove these approaches work across different cultures and income levels.

The Ripple Effect spreads beyond individual cities. When vendors and waste pickers get proper recognition and support, entire communities benefit from better food access, cleaner streets, and more sustainable resource use. These workers transform what many see as urban problems into solutions for a circular economy where less goes to waste and more people thrive.

The stigma around these jobs remains the biggest barrier. But the growing global coalition of waste picker organizations and vendor advocacy groups is changing perceptions. Cities are learning that the people already doing this essential work just need support, not replacement.

As more of us move to cities in coming decades, we'll all depend more on the quiet heroes selling fresh meals and keeping recyclables out of landfills.