Transcript Topic: Role of waste pickers in waste management and their

Topic: Role of waste pickers in waste management and their
contribution towards recycling ‘’A case study of
Johannesburg metro’’
Living on what others throw away:
Household waste
Waste characterization
• Waste Generators
Households units,
Businesses
Institutions
Industries
Snapshot on Waste Stream
Recycling and Garden site
Zondi depot
Malboro Depot
Randburg Depot
Falcon Depot
Migson Manor Depot
The diversion of waste in all of this sites relies on
waste pickers and their choice in extracting
certain recyclables
Landfill and Impacts
• Reduction rate
Food
Paper
Plastics
Glass
This materials are the main focus for waste
pickers when attending to household bins
Landfill and waste pickers
• Waste pickers on landfill sites are so familiar
with waste characterisation to an extent that
they notice a van,truck with useful materials
or not. And divert their focus on materials
they use other than the useless ones.
• Waste pickers have vast knowledge on how to
apply traditional cost effective method in
treating and collecting recyclables from waste.
Introduction
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Living on what others throw away: street waste
It has been observed that waste pickers within the Johannesburg metro cover a great area to go fetch their weekly
stock to deliver recyclable buy back centre’s and it with great note that the main focus of collection is around PET
as a primary recyclable with cans and metals second and at lowest collection being boxes and glass. This is caused
by the price of buy back of this recyclables. There is a need to increase and help support even educate how to deal
with all types of waste. The waste hierarchy outlines the support of Reduce, Reuse and Recycling. At the palm of
separation at source waste pickers are found to be the ones having a great impact of withdrawing all recyclable
materials. In household waste it is now normal to find a waste picker removing recyclable prior the waste truck
comes to pick up waste for disposal.
What will be the future of waste pickers in South Africa
For many individuals and families waste picking has become a way of survival. The activities of the waste pickers
fall within the informal economy. In spite of the fact that waste pickers are a common sight, scant attention is paid
to them. With high levels of unemployment as a permanent feature in the urban areas of many developing
countries.
Waste pickers should be supported not find them fighting for the right to be on landfill sites or our household bins
just to help reduce the volumes of waste directed for disposal to landfills. A high volume reduction in landfills is
eminent as more and more big suppliers of products are encouraging recycling of their products as environmental
compliance part. This guys whether we like it or not they are taking an initiative to help the government achieve
better waste management system without over flooding of waste in communities.
This entails independent individuals who make a living reclaiming recyclable waste from the waste stream,
predominantly from landfill sites and selling it on to the recycling companies or buy back centre’s.
Without prior education or qualification in waste management a high number of South Africans currently earn a
living in this way. Waste picking offers individuals a means to make a living and also contribute to skills
development with routine waste collection and encourages development of new strategies towards waste
management.
Review
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Living on what others throw away: street waste
It is vital to look at the scenarios and extend it to community participation and the drive to establish
a waste network that operates in great tolerance with waste pickers. Communities in townships
have great tolerance over waste pickers by not bothering them when they operating their duties. It
is also vital to understand that not bothering the waste pickers means encouraging them to
operate.
The anticipated approach has to have a far more relevant approach as to the type of waste and type
of recyclables. Aiming at separation at source which can lead to zero to waste achievement.
What will be the future of waste pickers in South Africa
Future of waste pickers looks set in terms of waste gathering value in an informal economy. The
middle man approach has proven to degrade the economy and also influenced the circulation of
waste in a constant manner. However it is also a working system that if it was to be removed all
together it may strip the economy and system of waste pickers.
The new waste Act gives little room to waste pickers to apply their free fall role to reducing waste
and when formulating such waste legislations a waste consultative forum should be held to
establish the traditional methods appllied to waste streams in townships and landfill sites.
Waste pickers in JHB
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Case studies
Tebogo and Thabiso move around Soweto covering zone6,7,8,9 and 10 and take this separated
recyclables mostly PET to Cleveland that’s 20 km away from point of collection. Its now a routine as
every Monday they attend to that issue. This guys all come from Lesotho and all use self made
trolleys to move the bulk bag with recyclables.
Phineas in Soweto says he has been doing glass collection for the past six years and each time he
fills a bag and sell to a vendor in town. All cad board he takes them to dube near phefeni. Area
covered shows small distance compared to counterparts.
According to Buti Mofokeng who is a waste picker around the Johannesburg Metro waste picking is
one of the treasures he enjoys on a daily basis. He said “I go around collect even when people think
I am a hobo but at the end of the week I have an income that I can send home in Lesotho”
He moves around park wood, Park Hurst suburbs and by now some even go to an extent of saving
some PET for him at garages until he comes to avoid the waste truck pick ups. A self made trolley is
used to collect recyclables.
Just imagine the kind of impact of waste picking in some families, if Buti is sick the family cannot
have that income at the end of the month.
This is just one of the many heroic stories associated with waste picking that to be taken into
account by summit going forth.
Recycling
• An assessment of waste picker’s role in waste management and recycling
• Recycling
• Recycling has been described as a way of reducing pollutants to the
environment and at the same time avoid that aspect of new pollutes
entering the circulation. Recycling involves processing used materials into
new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the
consumption of new raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air
pollution (from incineration) and water pollution (from land filling) by
reducing the need for conventional waste disposal and lower green house
gas emissions as compared to virgin production
• Recycling is a key component of modern waste management and is the
third component of the ‘’Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’’ waste hierarchy.
Legislative requirements
• Legislation
• National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998, section 14(1) to
provide operative, environmental governance by establishing principles for
decision-making on matters affecting the environment, institutions that
will promote co-operative governance and procedures for co-ordinating
environmental functions exercised by organs of state; and provide for
matters connected therewith.
• National Environmental Management Waste Act 59 of 2008
• Environmental Conservation Act, Act 73 of 1989, Regulation.149 to
provide for the effective protection and controlled utilization of the
environment and for matters incidental thereto. Section 24(4)(a)
• National Water Act, Act 36 of 998, Section 123(1) of the National Water
Act. To provide for fundamental reform of the law relating to water
resources; to repeal certain laws; and to provide for matters connected
therewith.
Factors
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Social costs
Occupational hazards
Child labor
Litter
Public nuisance
Social and economic benefits/ ecological benefits
Job creation
Public health and sanitation
Crime reduction
Municipal savings
Reducing pollution and mitigating climate change (elaborate more)
Impacts
Risks of injury
Stigma, harassment and violence
Health risks
Conclusion
• Zero to waste is a long-term goal that can be achieved with an functional
and well established waste network that maintains and operate in a
sequential manner.
• Waste pickers are a key factor in achieving deliverable goals in reducing
waste in the zero to waste aimed strategy.
• The established economy has to extend the support to reduce waste
collection costing.
• Therefore it is with great concern that if all the support weaknesses are
not addressed instead of having an established waste stream with zero
waste aimed at coming years to achieve a growing economy instead of
constant economy in waste management.
• Lets go out and implement a strategy that encourages waste management
not waste covering.