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Many labor scholars and practitioners see the regulation of informal work as necessary to protect the world's most vulnerable workers from market predation. This article advances an alternative perspective: State regulation is a versatile tool that can be wielded either by workers or by elites, often toward contradictory ends. Accordingly, the key question for those seeking to promote decent work is not whether to formalize informal jobs, but rather, formalization by and for whom? The author uses this approach to analyze differential outcomes between efforts to formalize the work of waste pickers in São Paulo, Brazil, and Bogotá, Colombia. Drawing on 24 months of field research, the author documents how São Paulo's formalization policies benefited few street waste pickers, whereas those of Bogotá elevated the incomes, conditions, and voices of thousands of comparable workers. The analysis suggests that formalization is likely to yield pro-worker outcomes only when workers possess sufficient power over policy design and implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the accumulation of household waste continued to rise as the number of COVID-19 patients increased. COVID-19 can survive and be transmitted from contaminated surfaces, making waste pickers more vulnerable and at risk of contracting and spreading the virus through contact with infected household waste. The study assessed safety practices and risks related to waste picking during the COVID-19 pandemic at two selected dumping sites in the north of Pretoria. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data from 81 waste pickers at these landfill sites. Results showed that 100.0% of waste pickers at Site A and 86.7% at Site B collected plastics; 96.7% at Site A and 90.5% at Site B collected bottles; and 100% at Site B and 95.5% at Site A collected metals. The majority, 92.0% at Site A and 90.0% at Site B, were aware of the dangers and risks associated with waste handling if protective gear was not worn. From sites A and B, 97.0% and 90% of the waste pickers respectively had heard of COVID-19, although 51.9% from both sites believed they could not contract COVID-19 while handling waste. Only 18.0% of waste pickers from Site A and 82.0% from Site B faced challenges with purchasing their own PPE. All waste pickers at Site A wore facial masks, whereas 86.0% at Site B did so. Regarding testing for COVID-19, 22.0% from Site A and 19.0% from Site B were tested, with 2.0% from Site A and none (0.0%) from Site B testing positive. It is recommended that all waste pickers be educated about COVID-19 transmission and provided with PPE during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Argentina, waste pickers play an important role in the recovery of recyclable municipal solid waste (MSW). Most of them organise themselves in cooperatives to gain more visibility and overcome their situation of vulnerability. Their activity involves numerous social and environmental impacts that should be considered when assessing the recycling value chain's performance. With this aim and resorting to the concept of upgrading, this article analyses the impact of waste pickers' cooperatives in Cordoba and the opportunities for a better social and environmental performance of the chain. We found that waste pickers' cooperatives have positive and negative social and environmental impacts. Our work makes an empirical contribution to the literature on waste pickers from a Global South perspective, highlighting the need for a more integrative and inclusive framework for MSW management oriented towards the circular economy which formally integrates waste pickers as key actors in urban hygiene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient solid waste management is crucial for urban health and welfare in the midst of fast industrialization and urbanization. In this changing environment, government authorities have a significant role in addressing and reducing the effects of solid waste. While waste separation at the source simplifies processes, manual sorting is a consequence of ignorance in numerous regions, which endangers the health of waste pickers. This study addresses the challenges by introducing the MSW-Net model, a hierarchical stacking model designed for the automated classification of municipal solid waste (MSW). Customized Convolutional Neural Network (custom CNN) and Bayesian-Optimized MobileNet models serve as the base models, with Gradient Boosting employed as the meta-classifier. The MSW-Net model, as proposed, exhibits exceptional performance, attaining 99%, 95%, and 96.43% accuracy rates over training, validation, and testing, respectively. Additionally, the model achieves precision, recall, and F1 scores of 96.42%, 96.43%, and 96.42% during the testing phase. Therefore, the proposed MSW-Net model performs better than the other existing models in sorting the waste. This could also aid the municipal authorities in classifying the waste with minimal human intervention. Implications: The MSW-Net model, featuring a hierarchical stacking approach with custom CNN and Bayesian-Optimized MobileNet base models, and Gradient Boosting as the meta-classifier, achieves remarkable accuracy in automated municipal solid waste classification. With performance metrics of 99% accuracy in training, 95% in validation, and 96.43% in testing, alongside precision, recall, and F1 scores around 96.42%, the MSW-Net model significantly outperforms existing models. This advancement promises to aid municipal authorities in efficient waste management, reducing reliance on manual sorting and thereby improving the health and safety of waste pickers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study aimed to explore shared expectations about education in scavenger families. Participants in this study consisted of parents and children from 10 scavenger families selected using purposive sampling techniques. Research uses researchers as the main instrument with data collection through face-to-face interviews and observation. The results showed that the children of scavenger families had high expectations regarding education. The high expectations of parents towards the child's education do not cause stress or negative influence on the parent-child relationship. Despite the limitations of scavengers' families, the hope of getting a decent job and getting out of the cycle of poverty remains the main focus of children. These findings suggest that shared expectations about education can be a strong motivator for children of waste picker families to stay in school and achieve. Parents' belief in the role of education in changing the destiny of their families encourages children to prioritize education as a means to escape poverty. Despite the conflict of expectations between parent and child, adaptation and restructuring of views towards education occur in scavenger families. This research provides insight into the important role of families, especially parents, in shaping children's perceptions and expectations regarding education. Therefore, additional support and mentoring are needed to strengthen the confidence of children of waste picker families in education so that they remain motivated to attend school. This research can lay the groundwork for efforts to improve access to education and understand the factors that influence the expectations and motivations of children of scavenger families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente is the property of Universidade Federal do Parana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

• Systematic review article to the STROBE-M guidelines. • Prevalence of diseases in waste pickers. • Waste pickers the American, African, and Asian Continents. • Occupational health of waste pickers. Waste pickers, who work with the collection of recyclable materials in search of a source of income, are subject to various risks and diseases that are very well researched. The aim of this systematic review was therefore to identify and analyze the results of epidemiological research on waste pickers over the last 20 years as well as to investigate the geographical distribution and quality of these studies. The studies were selected from the literature by creating search keys with representative keywords in different databases. This systematic review exceptionally includes research qualified according to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. In total, 61 epidemiological studies with waste pickers were found in 15 different countries, with the largest number of studies carried out in the American continent compared to the African and Asian, respectively. Regarding the quality, 91.80 % were classified as excellent and 8.20 % as good. Although the results show a significant number of epidemiological studies with waste pickers, demonstrating scientific evidence, that there is still a lack of research focusing on waste pickers in different work scenarios, from different health perspectives and in different parts of the world, and it is not possible to highlight the trends in health research for this profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the work of waste pickers advances urban sustainability, there has been little focus on how climate change impacts affect them. This paper reports on a pilot study with 61 waste pickers in Minas Gerais, Brazil to understand their perspectives on climate change impacts and actions. It explores how waste pickers experience climate change impacts at home and at work, their adaptive strategies and the specific actions and actors needed to address these impacts. Waste pickers have practical knowledge and experience of climate events. But due to precarious employment and lack of access to services, infrastructure and social support, their responses are improvised and inefficient. They require better institutional support and their proposals must be incorporated into a negotiated approach to urban resilience. Proposals such as the climate bonus – similar to the existing recycling bonus – may help address the structural drivers of vulnerability for waste pickers in Minas Gerais. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban waste management, including that of sanitary landfills, is an urgent matter worldwide. Scavengers at sanitary landfill sites face safety and health issues. Their human rights are often violated through social oppression, dehumanization, and exploitation. Numerous landfills have been closed by governments to address these issues. Although these closures may have brought safer, cleaner, and more equitable living environments, in some cases, the low incomes and living standards of former scavengers who continue to reside at these sites have been exacerbated. That is, there may exist different perspectives of justices for respective stakeholders (e.g., government officials and scavengers). Based on the foundation of urban social justice and the capabilities approach as a theoretical framework, and using observations and interviews, this case study examines and addresses the socioeconomic complications faced by the local residents in the post-landfill situation of Payatas in the Philippines in an attempt to work toward establishing a just city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent dirty work research has begun to explore intersectionality, attending to how meaning is made at the intersection of multiple sources of taint. This research has shown that individuals often construct both positive and negative meanings, which can be challenging to manage because the meanings people construct require a certain coherence to provide a foundation for action. This challenge is intensified when dirty work is intractable—when it is difficult, if not impossible, for a person to avoid doing this work. Our study of meaning-making in the face of intractable dirty work examines ragpickers in Mumbai, India, who handle and dispose of garbage, and are further tainted by belonging to the lowest caste in Indian society, and living in slums. These ragpickers constructed both an overarching sense of helplessness rooted in the intractability of their situation, and a set of positive meanings—survival, destiny, and hope—rooted in specific facets of their lives and enacted through distinct temporal frames. By holding and combining these disparate meanings, they achieved "functional ambivalence"—the simultaneous experience of opposing orientations toward their work and lives that facilitated both acceptance and a sense of agency, and enabled them to carry on in their lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Municipalities across the globe are implementing separation at source programmes to reduce waste sent to landfills. Yet typically, significant numbers of households do not participate. This article contributes to debates on reasons for low S@S participation rates through comparative analysis of participation in Johannesburg's first S@S programme by residents in the low-income, predominantly black suburb of Newlands and the high-income, predominantly white area of Franklin Roosevelt Park. The article argues that how residents conceptualised waste, S@S and reclaimers (waste pickers) influenced whether they separated their recyclables and what they did with them. Class (which is articulated with race) played an important role, as while some residents in each area revalued recyclables via routes other than the official Pikitup programme, those in Franklin Roosevelt Park tended to separate for reclaimers, while residents in Newlands were more likely to sell their recyclables to augment their incomes or reuse them to reduce the need for new purchases. These separation practices and the quantities diverted from landfill were invisible to Pikitup, which only recognised separation of materials for its pilot. The findings highlight the necessity of expanding conceptualisations of S@S to include these additional routes to revaluation if we are to develop S@S programmes that are contextually appropriate and capture accurate data on waste diversion from landfills. In addition, interventions to transform residents' conceptualisation of waste so that it excludes recyclables and other items that retain value could facilitate greater participation in this expanded form of separation at source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How can cities upgrade urban waste infrastructures while also supporting the livelihoods of the poor? While development experts now agree that informal recyclers should be included in urban waste systems, many cities struggle to implement inclusive reforms. With a case study of informal recycling in Asunción, Paraguay, which compares dumpsite and street recyclers, this article addresses a gap in the literature by focusing on the policies, politics and frameworks that inhibit the implementation of pro‐poor reforms. Proposals to include waste pickers misunderstand key dynamics of informal waste work and locate waste‐picker cultures as the key barrier to successful waste‐picker integration. However, they overlook the historical production of waste‐picker organizing styles and underappreciate the diversity between different groups of informal recyclers. They seek to institute cooperatives, a promising model for segments of highly organized recyclers but one which threatens to exclude a large share of waste pickers who opt to work individually. Successfully integrating informal recyclers into waste management requires significant investments in the sector, meaningfully including waste pickers in proposal design and an epistemic shift to prioritize waste‐picker needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste picking within the informal sector is essential to solid waste management policy and practice. A healthy number of academic articles have emerged from the practice of waste picking, particularly Ghana, of recent. Nevertheless, a common limitation across many of these articles is the absence of in-depth investigations into the experiences and backgrounds of waste pickers. This study examines the practical aspects of waste picking, uncovering motivational factors that drive individuals to engage in waste picking business and the multifaceted challenges that they encounter. Sixty-one waste pickers were interviewed at the Kumasi Oti Landfill site, and the findings were supplemented with documentary sources and observational data. Through content analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and the relative importance index, our study highlights that despite its necessity for survival, many waste pickers express dissatisfaction and find the waste picking business unpleasant. Additionally, the primary motivational factors for engaging in the waste picking business include lack of jobs, compounded with a lack of general and skilled education as well as social and cultural capital, and the flexibility of the work and family business. Furthermore, our findings underscore the significance of certain challenges, notably low income, health problems and social stigmatisation attached to the work. In light of these findings, it is recommended that government provides socio-economic and social support for waste pickers and facilitate the establishment of cooperatives for waste pickers in the recycling sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theaim of this cross-sectional study was to compare workplace conditions and metal exposures in 431 waste pickers who worked nearby at the Estrutural Dump in Brasilia utilizing hair (n = 310) and nail (n = 355) as matrices of exposure. Waste pickers were grouped according to their workplace (open waste dump: G1 and sorting plants: G2). Hair and nail samples were collected and analyzed using ICP-MS. The work duration in the facilities was significantly different between the groups with averages of 16.46 (8.48) yrs and 9.26 (6.28) yrs for hair donors in G1 and G2, and 15.92 (7.72) yrs and 8.55 (5.77) yrs for toenail donors in G1 and G2, respectively. The arithmetic means (µg/g) of cadmium, copper, lead, and manganese in hair were significantly higher in G2 (0.076 ± 0.133; 19.61 ± 18.16; 2.27 ± .56 and 3.87 ± 5.59, respectively) compared to G1 (0.069 ± 0.235; 15.72 ± 15.18; 1.72 ± 4.04 and 3.65 ± 5.5, respectively). Concentrations of arsenic, barium, cadmium, copper, cobalt, lead, manganese, and molybdenum in nail were significantly higher in G2 (0.57 ± 0.39; 22.74 ± 42.06; 0.1 ± 0.08; 22.7 ± 51.60; 0.48 ± 0.45; 4.69 ± 9.43; 19.07 ± 20.75; 1.80 ± 1.76, respectively) compared to G1 (0.40 ± 0.28; 15.32 ± 22.31; 0.08 ± 0.11; 11.91 ± 16.25; 0.37 ± 0.37; 3.94 ± 15.04; 13.01 ± 19.08; 1.16 ± 1.80, respective. Our findings suggest that the studied population was exposed to toxic metals and indicates the need for chemical exposure prevention policies to monitor chemical risk exposures in waste pickers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of the National Policy on Solid Waste instruments - Selective Collection, Reverse Logistics System (RLS) and Sectoral Agreement (SA) - on the infrastructure and operating conditions of nine recycling cooperatives in the city of Rio de Janeiro in 2021. Methodology: The data collection was conducted through interviews with waste pickers associations and by compiling a database - "Sectoral Agreement of Packaging Industry Map of Actions". There was also an analysis of the correlation between the average income with formalization time, number of members, source of materials and SA activities. Relevance: The National Policy on Solid Waste (NPSW) recognizes the importance of waste pickers and ensures they are integrated in a shared responsibility model for the product lifecycle, by encouraging them to form cooperatives. Results: Only three cooperatives took part in the RLS and issued invoices. Approximately half of the SA activities were allocated to a single cooperative, which was more profitable and had a better infrastructure. There was a moderate-to-strong correlation with four of the analyzed variables which meant that there was no standardized procedure for the allocation of investments to cooperatives, and this affected their productive capacity. Contributions to management: When seeking to make the sector better, the SA must establish criteria to ensure the most precarious cooperatives are included so that their operational and general performance can be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Labor Power and Strategy" is a book that explores the current state of the labor movement in the United States. It highlights the renewed vigor and belief in unions among young people and workers in various industries. The book features an interview with historian John Womack, who argues for prioritizing workers in technically strategic positions, as they have the power to disrupt production and force concessions from capital. However, the book also includes responses from veteran unionists who critique and extend Womack's thesis, emphasizing the importance of associational power, considering race and gender oppression, and the need for flexible and open strategies. The book provides valuable insights and sparks important debates on the future of the labor movement. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the role of waste pickers in recycling systems, particularly in the Global South where formal waste management services may be lacking. It explores the concept of a "Just Transition" for waste pickers in the context of plastic pollution mitigation and the circular economy. The article also examines the potential impact of technological advancements, such as artificial intelligence and robotics, on waste pickers' jobs. It highlights the need for financing, capacity development, and fair remuneration for waste pickers, as well as the importance of data collection and recognition of their contributions. [Extracted from the article]

"Social Contracts and Informal Workers in the Global South" is a book edited by Laura Alfers, Martha Chen, and Sophie Plagerson that explores the emergence and significance of informal workers in the contemporary world. The book focuses on the voices and experiences of those in the informal sector, addressing issues such as gender, health care, taxation policies, and digital platforms. It highlights the importance of women's organizations and discusses various countries and cities, including South Africa, Ghana, India, Mexico, Brazil, and Thailand. The book suggests that the study of informal work and workers should be integrated into discussions about place, space, and social contracts in urban and rural contexts. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Realizing a circular economy (CE) has been widely recognized by practitioners and researchers as the key to the transition toward sustainability. Thus far the academic emphasis has been predominantly on economic and environmental aspects. However, the development and implementation of CE initiatives actually rely on extensive collaboration at the societal level. Hence, an understanding of how a more inclusive society can strengthen the transition is warranted. By systematically and critically reviewing the related academic literature, the results of this paper show that sensitivity to inclusion aspects is crucial to alleviate the transitional burdens on society. Seven main aspects were discerned on inclusion: (1) informal waste pickers, (2) e-waste and health risks, (3) accessibility of services/materials/facilities, (4) consumer behavior, (5) corporate and institutional involvement, (6) technology application, and (7) governance measures. Following these insights, a strong sustainability perspective and agenda on the CE transition are proposed by identifying key actors and structuring their interrelationships as an inclusive system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A transversal study was conducted among 472 vulnerable individuals (recyclable waste pickers, immigrants and refugees, homeless individuals, as well as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transexual individuals) in Goiânia City, the capital of the State of Goiás, Brazil, to investigate the prevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection. A total of 459 (97.2%) serum samples were tested for anti-HEV IgG and IgM antibodies using fully automated chemiluminescence immunoassays (Liaison® Murex Anti-HEV IgG and IgM assays, DiaSorin, Saluggia, Italy). Positive samples were tested for the presence of HEV RNA by a real-time polymerase chain reaction. A seroprevalence of 0.87% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.34–2.22) was found for anti-HEV IgG. Furthermore, anti-HEV IgM was detected in only one individual (0.22%; 95% CI: 0.04–1.22), who was also negative for HEV RNA. These findings revealed that HEV infection is infrequent in vulnerable individuals in Central Brazil, with low seroprevalence of past and recent HEV infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The delivery of urban basic infrastructure services is often guided by the modern infrastructure ideal, which aims for technical innovation, economic efficiency and uniformity through long-term, centralized management approaches. In rapidly growing urban centres of the global South, however, heterogeneous infrastructure configurations have long involved multiple systems in varying degrees of coexistence. This paper explores how community-based enterprises – organizations that aim not to turn a profit but rather to generate human well-being – contribute to, complement or conflict with wider municipal solid waste management strategies. It does so through two case studies, focused on Luchacos, a local enterprise turning waste into briquettes in an informal settlement of Kampala, Uganda; and the Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA), a cooperative of waste pickers in Ahmedabad, India. Drawing on empirical data and policy analysis, the research finds that, given the necessary state support, community-based enterprises can contribute to a range of sustainability and development objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Multicriteria analysis methods have been used as tools to aid in the management of solid waste. The AnalyticHierarchy Process (AHP) consists of ordering decisions by hierarchical levels, which allow a global view of the relationships between levels, enabling the decision maker to understand the system as a whole. The objective was to define an area for the implementation of a solid waste sorting center in the municipality of Barra dos Coqueiros (SE), using the multicriteria method of Hierarchical Analysis. The procedure consisted of analyzing orbital images, documents related to municipal legislation and selecting three test areas. The criteria adopted in the AHP were the size of the area, distance from urban density, land ownership and proximity to the road system. The results showed that the best alternative for installing a triage center is area C, compared to areas A and B. The area is located on the Barra Atalaia Nova Highway, away from urban densification, has access to the road system, is domain city hall and has the largest area, a criterion considered of greater importance in the hierarchical analysis. It is recommended the use of the AHP method as a technical and managerial instrument, to direct, in an assertive way, the management of urban solid waste and to support the competent bodies in decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rich seam of waste scholarship already addresses the exclusion faced by informal waste workers as cities in the global South undergo spatial transformations to become 'world class'. However, less attention has been paid to how state practices have reproduced inequalities within and across waste picker communities. Drawing upon eleven months of ethnographic research at Mumbai's Deonar dump site, this article maps the practices through which waste workers have responded to their exclusion following a massive fire in 2016. It demonstrates that social exclusion is experienced differently by different members of the community and calls for a greater focus on heterogeneity amongst waste workers. Multi‐dimensional vulnerabilities manifest through these workers' deal‐making strategies, while simultaneously mirroring the conditions of marginality produced by the state. The article contributes to debates on marginality by employing the lens of erasure to show how exclusion relies on the optics of visibility and invisibility. By unpicking the hierarchical structure within one waste worker organization, the article argues that the state‐led mandate for garbage‐free cities in India disproportionately affects those located at the margins of marginalized groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste pickers are ubiquitous in major cities and involved in sorting, reusing, recycling, and sales of recyclables. Waste picking serves as a source of livelihood and helps where the formal sector is encumbered with municipal waste management. This study focuses on waste picking and pickers' views on the effects of households' separation of solid wastes on their jobs. An intercept survey was conducted amongst 65 waste pickers in Ibadan metropolis. Data were analysed via descriptive and inferential statistics. Most waste pickers were males (92.3%) and single (53.8%) and 61.5% faced repression from law enforcement agents. Although aware of the benefits of source separating solid waste, 61.5% of respondents were not in support of the government making it mandatory, fearing that their income would suffer. The study recommends integrating waste pickers into the city's waste management plan. This would improve the livelihood of waste pickers and ensure a sustainable and clean environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined occupational risks associated with waste picking and pickers well-being in Lagos, Nigeria. A convenience sampling technique was employed to select 152 landfill-waste pickers, and the respondent-driven sampling technique was used to select 53 street-waste pickers. We discovered that waste pickers were exposed to occupational health risks such as body pain, tiredness, twisted ankles, chest pain, and eye soreness. Non-use of personal protective equipment contributed to waste pickers' susceptibility to occupational health risks. Most waste pickers were dissatisfied with their well-being connected to the unhealthy conditions in which they work, the extreme poverty they live in, and the stigmatisation they experience. The study concludes that waste pickers' well-being is critical for effective solid waste management; hence, they should be considered adequately in policy design and implementation programs/strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cartoneros/as branch (urban waste pickers) of the Movement of Excluded Workers is one of the most consolidated branches of the popular economy in Argentina. After a journey as social organizations, the trend is now towards institutionalization. Currently, this branch has obtained political representatives in institutions and several state officials come from this sector of the popular economy. This exploratory work presents an analysis of the characteristics of this process of institutionalization in which three phenomena are addressed: the dual identity of those who have already completed their process of institutionalization -between the popular and the institutional-, the incorporation of popular discourses into institutional dynamics and vice versa, i.e., the institutionalization of social organizations. Eight interviews were conducted with different politicians and civil servants in this branch. The main results have been that the processes of institutionalization of people incorporated into governments have not been able to obscure their identity; on the contrary, it has consolidated it, and institutionalization is advancing through participation in the political arena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Informal recycling workers (IRWs), including waste pickers (WPs) and waste sorters, are essential constituents of sustainable ecosystems in many cities in the Global South. Despite their valuable contributions to the economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable urban waste recycling, most IRWs work in precarious conditions. This paper examines recent efforts by local municipalities in Izmir to implement co-production design as a new institutional arrangement to generate green jobs for informal workers that provide high and stable incomes, job security, and social recognition. Using qualitative analyses of recent developments in the legal framework and in-depth interviews with key stakeholders, this paper identifies the following challenges associated with the current co-production efforts as its main findings: the lack of fiscal and legislative support from the central government; failure to include all IRWs in the co-production schemes; and the potential exclusion of marginalized communities due to the arbitrary requirements of a security clearance, which limit the inclusion of IRWs in co-production efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rag picker, is a term for someone who makes a living by rummaging through refuse in the streets to collect material for salvage. Scraps of cloth and paper could be turned into cardboard, broken glass could be melted down and reused, and even dead cats and dogs could be skinned to make clothes. In India alone, there are approximately 4 million women in this profession. However, this huge number in no way implies that it is a comfortable profession in any way. Some common problems faced by the rag pickers are, Poor and marginalized, Unhealthy environment, Poor living condition and Victims of abuse. The main purpose of this paper is to find out the extent of population engaged in rag picking world wide and the nature of social, health problems they face. The paper also reflects on the interventions tried out to uplift the rag pickers in different parts of the world. This study aims to hold out a systematic scientific review of national and international literature reporting different skill and vocational training programmes and elucidate their effectiveness in improving the job opportunities and living conditions of various marginalized, vulnerable and underprivileged people group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Educação em Revista is the property of Educacao em Revista and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente is the property of Universidade Federal do Parana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: This article aims to propose improvements to a solid waste cooperative's value stream from social, environmental, and economic aspects of sustainability and within the scope of lean philosophy. Design/Methodology/Approach: An empirical piece of research was developed to obtain an overview of the productive process of a cooperative located in the city of Florianôpolis, in Southern Brazil, starting with the application of Value Stream Mapping (VSM) in a case study. Results: Some sustainability challenges in waste management were identified in the studied cooperative's reality, such as: Urban Solid Waste (USW) inefficient management; lack of resources to help with basic expenses, which jeopardizes the individual income earned by pickers; risks to workers when carrying out activities without personal protective equipment and instructions on how to perform tasks properly, in addition to the disorganized environment, which results in high piles of waste and puts the workers' health at risk. Research Limitations: As limitations, it is possible to list the focus on a single material flow for better applicability of VSM and non-implementation of the improvements proposed. Practical implications: Results contributed to the cooperative analyzed in this study by identifying the main waste that compromise the organization's operational and sustainable efficiency. Originality/Value: There is a research gap on the thematic axes of this study in the context of waste picker cooperatives; this article is therefore original for addressing the application of VSM with a sustainable bias in reverse logistics of solid waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This issue of Development in Practice focuses on the role of agencies, cooperatives, and interventions in international development. The articles highlight the need for reassessment, flexibility, and adaptability in approaches to specific circumstances and communities. Topics covered include waste pickers' cooperatives in Cordoba, Argentina, repatriation of Rohingya refugees in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, conflict sensitivity in activism in Cambodia, adding peace to the humanitarian-development nexus, transparency in reporting by international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), politicization of social cash transfer programs in Ghana, the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on vulnerable groups in India, the experiences of beggars during the pandemic, the effects of the pandemic on livelihood stress in Ghana, and unintended consequences of India's public works program. The issue also includes a book review on the role of development management in international development projects. [Extracted from the article]

Suddenly, Julio slipped into the shadow of an elevated metro bridge at La Chapelle station. I carried out an applied analysis of the short stories of Julio Ramón Ribeyro (JRR), a Peruvian writer and one of the greatest short story writers in Spanish. Once, when we were both living in Paris, with some difficulty I persuaded JRR to go to the theatre Les Bouffes du Nord (Julio had not been to the theatre for a long time, and I was later to understand why). Part II Wilhelm Reich, perhaps one of the most brilliant and controversial reprobates among the pioneers of our discipline, who was expelled from the communist party for being a psychoanalyst and from the IPA for being a communist (Rycroft, [16]), argued that when psychoanalysts presented their cases at congresses such as this one, they often resorted to clinical examples of successful elite figures. [Extracted from the article]

While the circular economy invites us to realize the potential of the so-called 'waste-based commodity frontiers', reintegration into capitalist value chains is not the only way for discards to be resurrected. In this article, we examine the ways in which the collective of dumpster divers is organized in relation to giving, receiving and reciprocating of various waste-gifts. Our intention is not only to expand existing theorizations of the gift to new domains but also to critically interrogate them, identify their limitations and explore what dumpster diving can teach us about the gift. In particular, the analysis foregrounds the heterogeneity of gift practices. Arguing against universal notions of the gift, the article proposes that waste assumes four main forms of gifts and relations among dumpster divers: givenness (parasitic relation); solidarity-based giving (relation of reciprocity); free giving (asymmetrical relation); and non-giving, as a withdrawal from returning the discards to nature conceived as an Other (the relation of non-relation). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous garbage dumpsites worldwide have been closed down to address the safety, health and environmental hazards facing waste pickers, such as potential landsides, diseases and pollution. As a result, the environment surrounding the (former) waste pickers may have been safer and cleaner. While the closure of garbage dumpsites may be an act of social justice to protect waste pickers, however, in some cases, the incomes and living standards of former waste pickers who continue to reside at these sites have been aggravated. Drawing on critical theory, and using observations and interviews, this case study examined the post-dumpsite-closure situation of Payatas in the Philippines. This study augments previous research on critical urban and regional studies through the presentation of a meta-critical theory by expanding, critiquing and reconceptualizing critical theory to address the problematic post-dumpsite situation created through the closure of the dumpsite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Low- and middle-income countries are characterized by the presence of waste pickers. • Few studies deal with traditional waste pickers' role and their formalization. • We analyze the transition into formality of waste picker organizations in Colombia. • Results from a national survey of individual waste pickers and recycling firms. • The second source was information analysis from workshops with waste picker leaders. • We report barriers and opportunities for waste pickers and their organizations. Low- and middle-income countries are lagging in research related to waste management initiatives and practices involving the informal sector and the problems faced by this population. Many case studies focus on waste management, but few deal with waste pickers' role and their formalisation process. In particular, there is a need to document the opportunities and barriers to transition for this population and the appropriate pathway from informal to formal work in the Latin American context. The objective of this article is to report the findings of an analysis of this transition in Colombia, where the institutional context explicitly promotes a formalisation pathway for waste picker organisations within the public waste management service in the waste picking activity. This analysis mixes quantitative and qualitative methods. The study draws on information from two main sources. First, primary data from a survey of individual waste pickers and waste picker organisations at the national level was considered. The second source was information analysis from workshops with waste picker leaders. The research's findings, conclusions, and recommendations compile barriers and opportunities for waste pickers, their organisations, and their formalisation. It is hoped that the findings will be used to guide similar studies in other developing countries with similar conditions for waste pickers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Trabalhos em Lingüística Aplicada is the property of Universidade Estadual de Campinas - Portal de Periodicos Eletronicos Cientificos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Papers: Revista de Sociologia is the property of Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Social movements are purposeful, organized groups of people addressing the creation and reproduction of inequality, rights and access issues, seeking to transform sectoral policies. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, social movements have been acting in articulation with government and private companies and through other actions formulated within their networks, as service deliverers to the poor and vulnerable populations most heavily affected, often filling a gap created by unfulfilled policies. Our research with waste picker organizations in Brazil illustrates how their struggle for recognition has taken action in this context. Academic and government documents, social media and online material (blogs, posts, websites, etc.) and virtual meetings inform this research. We found that multiple actors have contributed to mitigate the urgent needs of waste pickers during the pandemic, but that at the same time, pre-existing challenges in waste management and the lack of wide-ranging social and economic inclusion have been further intensified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Studia Ecologiae et Bioethicae is the property of Uniwerystet Kardynala Stefana Wyznskiege w Warzawie and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This contribution explores the contemporary regulatory framework pertaining to waste pickers. It does so by analysing certain municipal bylaws in three metropolitan municipalities, namely the City of Johannesburg; Ekurhuleni and the City of Cape-Town, that impact upon these vulnerable workers. It additionally considers the protection offered to waste pickers by the Department of Water Affairs Minimum Requirements for Waste Disposal by Landfill and analyses the extent to which these minimum requirements create legally enforceable rights for waste pickers within the three metropolitan municipalities. It concludes with a range of policy suggestions for the extension of protection to a greater number of waste pickers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the problem of Delhi's air pollution is well recognized, as is the class bias of the judiciary in targeting certain sources of air pollution over others, what is less will understood are the unintended consequences of air pollution interventions on indoor and outdoor air quality. This paper shows how the National Green Tribunal has targeted one source of air pollution in recommending waste-to-energy technologies that deprive waste pickers of their livelihoods. The pandemic-related lockdown provides an opportunity to assess the impacts of livelihood deprivation on fuel use. Using data collected from surveys of waste pickers, this paper shows that decreases in income are related to an increase in reliance on solid fuels. Therefore, we argue that air pollution interventions designed to control air pollution from poor waste management have the unintended consequence of increasing air pollution from a different source (biomass burning for cooking) that specifically impacts waste pickers by increasing their exposure to indoor air pollution, while also undermining the government's urban air pollution mitigation efforts overall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Augmenting Antonio Gramsci's concept of hegemony with Johan Galtung's concept of structural violence and using multiple data sources this study examines the structural phenomenon food waste and the agentic phenomenon dumpster diving. I derive my interpretations from an analysis of reports on food waste by international organizations, US media coverage of food waste, and interviews with dumpster divers. At the structural level, the analysis shows how international organizations and media frame food waste as an economic and environmental—rather than a social justice issue and how they reproduce hegemonic neoliberal conceptualizations and discourses of food and food waste. At the agentic level, the analysis shows how these hegemonic conceptualizations and discourses affect dumpster divers and how an environmental ideological motivation contains an anticapitalistic ideological motivation. Building on my neo-Gramscian analysis, I highlight the potential threat that environmental discourses might stabilize neoliberal hegemony by offering appealing consent-structures and contain more fundamental, social justice-based, critique of the neoliberal social order. To preserve its inherently critical and counter-hegemonic potential, I develop a conceptual model of food waste and discuss its relevance for critical management and organization studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses the experiences of women waste pickers in the face of the implications caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in an association in the Distrito Federal (DF). The main objective was to understand the precarious life situation of women waste pickers inserted in a systemic and institutional inequality of capitalism. For that, an ethnography was carried out that combined observation and listening techniques (informal conversations and semi-structured interviews). Through this, it was possible to monitor the daily life of these women, from the onset of one of the greatest health crises in humanity until the period of return to work activities. The results revealed that the waste pickers are inserted in the logic of precariousness of life, and the conditions were aggravated with the arrival of the new coronavirus when the vulnerability related to the informal work bond, the unhealthy conditions and health risks inherent to the occupation and the difficulties increased. access to health and social assistance services. The context shows a complex deal related to the fear of unemployment, the difficulties and barriers to entering the labor market and maintaining one's livelihood. Above all, it worsened more intensely in the face of the absence of policies and programs aimed at them, the State did little to reduce the impacts of the pandemic on their lives. Thus, the established health crisis reflected their fragility in the face of the recycling cycle. This fact demonstrates the urgent need for government actions to embrace this social group, both during the pandemic and post-pandemic of COVID-19, aiming to overcome social invisibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this project is to study the situation of waste pickers around the world and to analyze the situation of the informal sector of solid waste management in Jordan specifically. Different methods like surveys and desk reviews did the study. It included studying their behavior, the places they work, the types of materials they collect, the method of collection, and much more. After this analysis, the focus was to find the most suitable method to formally integrate this sector with the government to benefit the waste pickers, the government, and the whole solid waste situation in the country. Based on the results of our study, recommendations for the waste pickers' situation in Jordan were given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]