The embodied waste laborer: Waste,value and labor among Pakistani workers in Hong Kong’s informal street market

Abstract

This article examines value creation among Pakistani waste laborers in an informal street market in Hong Kong. Framing waste as latent value, it explores how domestic waste (electronics, appliances, household items) is revalued through processes of collection, sorting, and resale. Often marginalized, these ethnic minority workers are central to transforming waste into tradable goods and sustaining informal transnational networks. Introducing the concept of the “embodied waste laborer,” the article highlights their agency in reshaping the value of waste and challenging ethnic stigma, reframing it not as a sign of marginality but as a vital resource that affirms their roles and supports community resilience.

Keywords

waste value embodied waste laborers ethnic minority informal laborers Pakistani

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