Waste pickers, as they have been dubbed, are individuals who make an independent living reclaiming recyclable waste from the waste stream, predominantly from landfill sites, and selling it on to recycling companies. Even the South African Waste Pickers Association believes that these people do not belong on landfill sites, but with no formal regulations in place to prevent otherwise, what will be the answer moving forward?

An estimated 88 000 South Africans currently earn a living in this way. Waste picking offers individuals a means to make a living regardless of age, level of education or skills set. A basic understanding of what is recyclable is required but this is gained through working experience. Waste pickers may be perceived by the uninformed as poor, dirty, uneducated and dangerous individuals and yet they are hard working, fiercely independent, self motivated people who bring with them a wealth of knowledge about the waste management stream and recyclable products. It is imperative that they be considered and included in future waste management plans and it is encouraging that the waste management industry seems to be doing this.

According to Dr Suzan Oelofse, Principal Researcher: Pollution and Waste at the CSIR, the reason that waste pickers are found on landfill sites is clear. She says that a huge amount if recyclables and reusable waste enters the waste stream due to South Africa’s current waste disposal strategies. This waste is valuable and if reclaimed, can earn collectors up to R120 per day. In some cases, waste pickers have evolved into entrepreneurs by finding creative ways of reusing waste. “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,” continues Dr Oelofse. “Waste separation at source will reduce the amount of recyclables going to landfill and therefore the income potential of pickers at the landfill. One unintended consequence of waste separation at source is that the pickers will go to where the recyclables are; they will migrate into the residential areas. It is therefore important that waste pickers are incorporated into the formal recycling system so as not to affect their livelihood. I have also seen literature reports that pickers working in residential areas typically collect less waste on a single day as they have to walk from bin to bin, whereas at the landfill, the waste is delivered to them.”

Pros and cons
“Waste pickers are not fighting for the right to be on landfill sites, they are fighting to be part of the waste management system,” says Simon Mbata, representative of the South African Waste Pickers Association (SAWPA) at a workshop debate hosted by the Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa (IWMSA). Having seen firsthand how effectively waste is being managed by informal waste pickers in Brazil recently, Mbata strongly believes that separation of waste at source (household level) is the way forward for the waste industry. “This too is the solution being advocated in the Recycling Industry’s Waste Management Plan that is currently being developed,” reiterates Andrew Marthinusen of the Packaging Council of South Africa (PACSA). Marthinusen accompanied Mbata on the recent fact finding trip to Brazil.

But waste pickers continue to plague landfill sites in the attempt to make a daily living. Frans Dekker, Functional Head of Landfill Management Operations for the City of Tshwane, says that although having waste pickers on a landfill site has its cons, it also has its pros for the site operator. “Waste pickers contribute toward waste reduction on the site and can be extra eyes, if trained, to look out for illegal dumping activities and criminal behavior,” he adds. “They assist the public with offloading waste and can help out during strikes as they did recently. However, having waste pickers on a landfill site means more people for the site operator to manage and slower turnaround time on waste processing. The personal safety of the waste pickers themselves is also an ongoing risk. Many sites feel that their public image may be tarnished by the presence of waste pickers.” He goes on to add that despite the health and safety risks, waste pickers are always going to be on landfills and it is important for landfill sites to cooperate as far as possible. Waste pickers also need to be encouraged to manage themselves via a representative committee, a process that has started in City of Tshwane during 2002.

Reported safety incidents
However, the existence of these waste pickers and their prevalence on landfill sites has become an increasing concern for site operators as landfill sites are a dangerous environment and accidents arising on the sites can become the responsibility of the site operators. This is highlighted by Leon Grobbelaar of Interwaste that a site could face serious consequences if something goes wrong. Enviro-Fill, an Interwaste subsidiary, was sued for R5 million by an informal waste picker that was accidentally injured while collecting waste informally on an Enviro-Fill operated landfill site. The legal action was instituted in spite of measures being put in place by Enviro-Fill to reduce the risks to the health and safety of the waste pickers. “Recycling should be done before waste reaches the landfill site,” says Grobbelaar. “I don’t believe that a landfill site is the right place for the waste pickers to operate.”

To reduce future risks, signs of illegal trespassing, as well as daily and weekly meetings with waste pickers have been implemented at Interwaste, making reclaimers aware of the danger present on a landfill site. “I have personally witnessed a waste reclaimer being covered in waste without the landfill compactor operator being aware of it,” cites Grobbelaar. “He would have killed her by compacting her in and amongst the waste. I know of reclaimers being killed by refuse compactor trucks reversing over them – running them over at the working phase.”

It is clear that there is room for improvement in the working conditions of waste pickers and in the way waste is currently being managed, but it is also clear that the waste management industry is actively tackling this challenge and while there is still a lot of work to be done and discussions to be had the outlook is predominately positive. The IWMSA has recognised that the forum for more discussions around these issues is necessary and as such will be planning more workshops in the near future.
“Reclaimers on landfill sites should not be allowed there but this is easier said than done. They add to operating costs, cause major nuisances to the environment by burning tyres for the steel, and from a health perspective, they are exposed to condemned foodstuff which is detrimental to their health,” Grobbelaar concludes.