Waste Management Outlook for Mountain Regions

Informal recycling in Thailand. Photo © Shutterstock/toowaret

population and recovers up to 20 per cent of municipal waste (Gunsilius, 2010). The drivers may not only be waste and pollution, but also unemployment and poverty. The informal sector is able to achieve high recovery rates (up to 80 per cent) because sourcing recyclable materials is critical for waste pickers’ livelihoods. However, informal waste pickers tend not to adhere to acceptable environment standards and informal sorting and recycling practices often disposes of waste directly into the environment (Gunsilius, 2010).Waste pickers oftenwork in extremely dangerous conditions and are exposed to contaminated and toxic materials. Child labour is common, and life expectancy can be very low. Waste pickers are often socially excluded and economically marginalized, and among the most vulnerable groups in society. Their incomes are susceptible to fluctuations in themarket value of recyclable material. Where waste pickers organize themselves into cooperatives, fixed wages can lead tomarket distortions and a lack of incentive for collection and sorting.

management – the focus often shifts to efficient collection and disposal, rather the than recovery and recycling of waste, denying access to waste resources. Many waste pickers are now forming organizations and cooperatives, to gain recognition, negotiate with municipalities and lobby for inclusive waste management models (WIEGO, 2013; Ezeah et al., 2013). There are cases in Asian and Latin American countries where waste pickers’ organizations and cooperatives have become regular partners with municipal governments and private sector enterprises (Gunsilius, 2010). The extent of formal and informal approaches to waste management (by waste pickers) in more remote mountain regions depends on localized economic incentives. In many cases, insufficient quantities of recyclable waste are generated to make recycling a profitable and economically viable enterprise, and might discourage informal work. Other factors such as high transportation costs associated with more remote mountain areas could also affect prices and make collecting sellable materials less economically viable. Furthermore, harsh climates may increase the costs of sorting waste.

Informal waste pickers suffer from a lack of recognition and can be marginalized when municipalities seek to modernize waste

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