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Waste Pickers Research Paper

1280 Words6 Pages

Abstract
This study focussed on the waste pickers from the Free-State region and the impact of their activities on the environment. I also focussed on the factors that influence successful waste picking, such as weather conditions and proper storage areas. This study indicates that male waste pickers usually have a greater income than female waste pickers. Reasoning for this is, in most cases the waste that is collected requires a lot of muscle strength and the distances between the Buy Back Centre and the collection site is quite far. These conditions are not in the favour of the ladies. Most of the waste pickers are not married and do not have regular contact with their families, since most of them come from rural areas in search for a job …show more content…

Even though waste pickers have a very positive contribution to the local economy, public health and safety and to environmental sustainability (http://wiego.org/informal-economy/occupational-groups/waste-pickers) the South African Waste Pickers Association does not want these people on the landfill sites. “Even though I acknowledge the important role that waste pickers play in waste management in the country, landfills are not the place for anyone to sort waste.” (Dr Oelofse: 2012) Waste pickers are perceived as dirty, poor, dangerous and uneducated by unacquainted people, but in essence these people are hardworking, self-regulating and motivated people who alerted themselves with the waste management streams and recyclable …show more content…

These challenges include the following: social exclusion, health risks and well-being to unfair market prices. There are some negative connotations attached to waste pickers as waste pickers are often conceived to be a symbol of poverty (Medina, 2007). Waste pickers do not have proper protective equipment and the result of this is that their health and well-being is put at risk. Recycling companies receive much more money, than what they’ve initially spend when they bought the recyclable materials from the waste pickers, when they re-sell these items. Often what waste pickers’ get paid is largely determined by the merchant and some merchants exploit waste pickers’ by paying them the bare minimum for waste materials (Schenck and Blaauw,

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