Soviet Recycling Pioneers: Influence of Jews on Waste Management Policies in Early Ukrainian SSR

This article, drawing on previously unexplored materials from Ukrainian archives, examines the role of Jews in the formation and development of waste recycling policies in the Ukrainian SSR during the 1920s, using the example of the Kyiv Regional Office of the Ukrutilzbir company. The article delves into the reasons for the significant representation of Jews in this company, demonstrating the role of experience, education, and abilities in obtaining employment and the potential for career advancement. It explores the outcomes of individuals holding various positions and the involvement of Jews in mass waste collection campaigns during the early stages of industrialization. The article asserts that Jews made a substantial contribution to shaping Soviet waste recycling policies during the early Soviet period in the Ukrainian SSR.