Waste Pickers
Waste pickers or reclaimers have been defined as people who “collect, sort and sell reusable and recyclable materials”. They operate either from landfill sites or as trolley pushers who collect recyclable waste from bins put out for collection or from litter on streets and open spaces. The findings of the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) study on The determination of the extent and role of waste picking in South Africa identified the following:
There are approximately 62147 waste pickers in the country (36680 operating from landfills and 25467 operating as trolley pushers);
The gender split of the pickers is 50:50;
Waste picking primarily takes place in urban areas;
Majority of waste picking is in land fill sites;
Waste pickers are unorganised and informal;
Waste pickers face health and safety challenges
Waste pickers wish to be formalised and integrated into the waste economy.
The study recommended that DEA develop national guidelines, norms and standards to be used by municipalities for the inclusion of waste pickers in the formal waste management system.
Refer to the CSIR report on Integrating the Informal sector into the South African Waste and Recycling Economy in the Context of Extended Producer Responsibility
The Minister of Environmental Affairs has announced plans to incorporate South Africa’s estimated 62 147 registered waste pickers into the formal waste economy to ensure their safety and protection. Refer to the IWMSA response to the government’s intention to formalise waste pickers’ role in the waste economy.
