The informal sector workers who save taxpayers R750 million a year
The informal waste collection sector and its pickers extend the life of landfills and save South African taxpayers an estimated R750 million every year, and some argue they should be integrated into the official municipal waste management systems.
Waste pickers collect household, commercial, and industrial waste from private bins or dumpsters along streets, waterways, or dumps and landfills.
Some rummage in search of necessities, while others collect and sell recyclables to waste middlemen or businesses.
A research report convicted by the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DFFE) estimated that between 60,000 and 90,000 informal waste pickers work at the heart of South Africa’s recycling economy.
They salvage approximately 80% to 90% of post-consumer paper and packaging collected in South Africa for recycling, supporting direct and indirect jobs in the downstream recycling and manufacturing sectors.
Apart from paper and packaging waste, A survey conducted by the University of Johannesburg (UJ) noted that other high-market-value rubbish includes e-waste.
The most collected type is cables (45%), followed by screens (39.5%), and 28.2% indicated they collected all types of e-waste.
Other discarded items included radios, machine parts, kettles, TVs, and computer parts.
They are the backbone of the current system that directs recyclables away from landfills and toward recyclers.
However, they are not officially employed by the government or the private sector but have created the industry as a means to make a living.
According to the survey conducted by UJ, more than 70% of respondents earn less than R600 per week. The majority (39%) earn between R300 and R600 per week.
Of these, approximately 12% reported earning close to or over R1,000 a month, while 3% earned more than R1,501.
However, despite the money they derive from their operations, the value that they add to the economy and environment is a hundred hold.
Unrecognised
Waste pickers retrieve valuable materials discarded by residents and companies, effectively prolonging the lifespan of landfills.
Informal waste pickers recover a substantial amount of recyclable materials, reducing the volume of waste that ends up in landfills.
Informal waste pickers recover a substantial amount of recyclable materials, reducing the volume of waste that ends up in landfills.
Waste pickers reduce the need for municipal waste collection and disposal services, leading to significant cost savings.
They provide a form of labour-intensive recycling service at no cost to the municipalities. The avoided costs of landfill operations, including tipping fees and maintenance, contribute to substantial municipal savings.
The DFFE report estimates that this saves municipalities between R300 million and R750 million annually in landfill space, at minimal or no cost to the government, which in turn means minimal or no cost to taxpayers.
Yet these informal workers reap no benefit from their efforts; in fact, it is the opposite.
Municipalities pay private companies contracted to collect recyclables as part of Separation at Source (S@S) programs a service fee.
The companies also generate income through the sale of the recyclables.
However, the waste pickers who collect the majority of recyclables that are salvaged and reintroduced into the value chain are not compensated for this service.
To date, waste pickers have been socially and politically marginalised.
They have not been recognised as important participants in recycling and waste management systems, and have not been included in decision-making processes related to these areas.
Both reports noted that it is essential to involve waste pickers in decisions that impact their lives and the future of recycling.
“This integration promotes political transformation and the advancement of democracy by including individuals who have been stigmatised and marginalised in policy-making processes,” said the DFFE.
Additionally, waste pickers are often unfairly criticised for not collecting all materials and leaving a mess when they salvage from rubbish bins.
The DFFE noted that this is because they are not paid for the collection and are forced to focus only on items with higher market value.
They must rush from bin to bin to collect as many valuable materials as possible.
If waste pickers in South Africa were paid a fair fee for collecting recyclables, in addition to the money they earn from selling the materials, similar to private companies, it could make it economically viable for them to start collecting additional types of recyclables.
This would also reduce time pressures, making it easier for them to work in a tidier and safer way.
The DFFE added that, while the impact of informal waste pickers is substantial, formal recognition and support from municipalities could further enhance their contributions. Initiatives such as:
- Providing formal training and protective gear.
- Establishing cooperative systems for better organization.
- Offering financial incentives or support programs.
These measures can amplify the positive impact of informal waste pickers on landfill life extension and municipal cost savings.
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