Syllabus: GS- III, Subject: Environment and ecology, Topic: Waste Management, Issue: Municipal waste
Informal waste pickers:
- Play a critical role in waste management and resource efficiency by collecting, sorting, trading and sometimes even recycling.
- Globally, 0.5-2% of the urban population are informal waste pickers, with around 1.5 million in India alone. (Centre for Science and Environment)
Reason for marginalization of informal waste pickers:
- Hazardous work without safety equipment.
- Irregular work, low income, and regular harassment are compounded by their subordinate position in the caste hierarchy.
The way ahead:
- As India’s per capita plastic waste generation increases, waste pickers’ role becomes even more critical.
| +1 Advantage for Mains (data point)
·        Waste pickers globally collect and recycle up to 60% of all plastic waste, preventing it from ending up in landfills or the ocean. (World Economic Forum report) |
