Question

Read the passage below carefully and answer the question that follows.

Across expanding metropolitan centers in West Africa, the exponential growth of urban populations has severely strained municipal waste management infrastructure. Traditional state-funded sanitation services frequently struggle with inadequate logistical capacity, leaving vast quantities of solid waste uncollected in low-income residential districts. In response to this governance deficit, informal recycling cooperatives organized by community residents and private micro-entrepreneurs have emerged as indispensable agents of urban sanitation. These grassroots networks systematically collect, sort, and process recyclable plastics, metals, and organic matter, effectively diverting thousands of tons of refuse away from overflowing municipal landfills each year. Beyond their evident environmental utility, these informal operations provide vital economic livelihoods for vulnerable urban populations who face persistent unemployment in the formal sector. However, despite their substantial contribution to urban sustainability, municipal authorities often marginalize informal recyclers, treating them as unregulated public nuisances rather than essential service providers. Urban policy experts argue that rather than attempting to eradicate or suppress these informal workers, municipal governments must formally integrate recycling cooperatives into official urban sanitation planning. Granting these workers legal recognition, access to protective gear, and fair compensation frameworks would not only dignify their labor but also dramatically enhance the structural efficiency of city-wide waste management systems. Ultimately, transforming urban environmental governance requires recognizing informal recycling networks as crucial partners in building resilient, sustainable cities.

Which of the following best summarizes the central argument of the passage?