🌍Waste pickers collect more than half of the plastic that gets recycled globally.
💪Many waste pickers are unpaid and live in poverty.
🤝Waste pickers have organized and formed their first International Union to fight for fair wages and legal protection.
💼Waste picking is a hazardous job, with dangers from machinery and toxic materials.
🌎Informal e-waste recycling puts workers, including children, at risk and pollutes the environment.
What is the role of waste pickers in recycling?
—Waste pickers collect more than half of the plastic that gets recycled globally, making them essential in the recycling process.
Are waste pickers paid for their work?
—Many waste pickers are unpaid and live in poverty, despite their crucial role in recycling.
What challenges do waste pickers face?
—Waste pickers face hazards from machinery and toxic materials, as well as low wages and lack of legal protection.
What is the significance of the waste pickers' International Union?
—The formation of an International Union for waste pickers marks a milestone in their fight for fair wages and legal protection.
What are the risks associated with informal e-waste recycling?
—Informal e-waste recycling exposes workers, including children, to hazardous materials and pollution, impacting their health and the environment.
00:01Waste pickers outnumber official waste workers and collect more than half of all globally recycled plastic.
00:15Most waste pickers are unpaid and live in poverty.
00:39Waste pickers have formed their first International Union to fight for fair wages and legal protection.
04:18Waste picking is a hazardous job, with dangers from machinery and toxic materials.
22:52Informal e-waste recycling exposes workers, including children, to hazardous materials and pollution.
