INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE OF WASTE PICKERS

The International Alliance of Waste Pickers is a union of waste picker organizations representing more than 460,000 workers across 34 countries
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Posts by International Alliance of Waste Pickers

photo - huichapan cement kiln

Case study from GAIA and Revuelta Verde – CDM proposal to burn waste in Mexico

The Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) and Revuelta Verde recently released a report on the struggle against waste incineration in cement factories in Mexico. The United Nations´ Clean Development Mechanism (carbon trading scheme) could approve a proposal for a UK-based company to incinerate waste in a cement kiln in Huichapan

Crónicas de una lucha por la inclusión Recicladores Bogotá

Video – Chronicles of a struggle for inclusion: The December 2012 garbage crisis in Bogota

“Chronicles of a struggle for inclusion: The December 2012 garbage crisis of Bogota” shows organized waste pickers promptly taking actions to reduce the impact of the garbage crisis in Bogota and giving an account of the series of unfortunate events and bad decisions that led to it, and of their struggles and victories throughout time to secure their rights and livelihoods.


photo of kkpkp members and children

Waste pickers and their children have the right to an education!

Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat (KKPKP), a registered trade union of waste pickers based in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, organised an awareness programme for its members on January 2 2013, to familiarise them with RTE Act, and particularly to discuss with them how to make best use of the provisions of the 25% reservation quota for children from deprived backgrounds.


Kenyan Pickers Doing it For Themselves

Waste pickers in Kenya are fighting to be heard. It has been a slow process of building solid organisation but it is showing results.

In the towns of Nakuru, Mombasa, Kisumu and Nairobi many people view pickers as trouble makers, especially as gangs sometimes operate from dumps. In fact the waste pickers are earning an honest living by collecting, sorting and selling metals such as aluminium, copper and iron as well as plastic bottles and containers, cloth, bones and organic waste.

Group of women talking on a couch

Organizing Tips: The Constitution – A Strong Foundation

A truly strong waste pickers’ organisation has a collective leadership that represents its members who are active and make democratic decisions. For all elements to work together an organisation needs clear objectives, structures and rules. It needs policies and procedures. All of these things must be in writing for all members to see and should be formally adopted by the members. This is the organisation’s constitution.

Will to be United: DRC Waste Pickers

“These waste pickers from Kinshasa are very creative,” commented Wiego’s  (Women in Informal Employment Globalising & Organising) Kapita Tuwizana. “Being so poor has made them think in imaginative ways.” They collect garbage such as plastic, cardboard, metal like any other waste pickers but they also make new things from this waste and sell it.


A Conversation with a Cairo Activist

Michael Hanna Shukri is an Egyptian who is working hard on a new waste picker’s union. We spoke to him about his work and organization.
What is your background? I am a young Zabaleen, which is the name of Cairo’s informal garbage collectors who started working in Cairo 80 years ago. I am 23 and I have been working for ten years. I am a member of the waste picker union and sit on the Spirit of the Youth’s board of directors. Spirit of the Youth is an NGO working with young Zabaleen which has spearheaded a campaign to start a union and helped it with money. Read more

Waste Pickers from Bogotá Need Your Support #todosconARB


In the city of Bogotá, Colombia, waste pickers of the Recyclers’ Association of Bogota (ARB) have been organizing themselves for more than two decades. ARB is one of the oldest independent waste picker-run associations in the world. But the association and its 2,500 members are not being recognized by the current municipal government of Bogotá. Their livelihoods are threatened by the interests of big companies and members of the government who are trying to take over the profitable business of solid waste management.


Petition for inclusive recycling in Bogotá, Colombia

This is the English translation of the petition for an inclusive  recycling in Bogotá, Colombia.
Gustavo Petro, Mayor of Bogotá: I want your guarantee of real inclusion of all waste pickers in Bogotá.
I want him to ensure the real inclusion of all waste pickers in Bogotá.”On December 18th 2012, the department of the district government which is responsible for waste management in Bogotá, UAESP, plans to deliver new contracts to fictitious waste picker organizations. It is demonstrating once again a lack of compliance with its agreements, and jeopardizing the livelihoods of thousands of waste pickers and their families.” Read the full petition in English.

Call for international solidarity with the Recyclers’ Association of Bogota (ARB)

We have received this letter from the waste pickers of Bogota and Colombia requesting support and solidarity from the international community. The waste pickers are being displaced and not recognized by the current government. We ask that waste picker organizations and support groups that know the historical work of la Asociación de Recicladores de Bogota (the Bogota Association of Recyclers) publicly recognize and appreciate the work of waste pickers.

We share with you our greetings and acknowledgement, on behalf of the Colombian waste pickers, at this event – Expocatadores – which reflects the struggle and the demand for our rights as dignified workers, and recycling as a livelihood for humanity. Today we come here as brothers and sisters in struggle, to DENOUNCE, and to ask for your support and solidarity. Today in Bogota, Colombia, the black cloud of opportunism and corruption is covering our skies and stamping out waste pickers’ opportunities of inclusion.


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