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
Supported by Logo WIEGO

The Global Alliance of Waste Pickers (GLOBALREC) condemns the criminal fires taking place in several dumpsites in the Dominican Republic, and stands in solidarity with fellow recyclers in the region.

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The latest one being the dumpsite Santiago de los Caballeros. It’s being said that they tried to set it on fire for a week and that yesterday, May 12th, they finally succeeded. The causes of the fire are yet unknown. However, some waste pickers are already pointing to a private company that tried to monopolize the landfill and probably paid for it.

Comrades from the Dominican Republic are in the process of registering in 3 official police departments for the CTC in the national workers’ delegation.

Not long ago, earlier this month, another fire was set in one of the Dominican capital’s main open-air landfill, causing large flames and thick smoke that covered large areas of the National District and the Santo Domingo North and East municipalities in gray.

Miembros del cuerpo de bomberos combaten el fuego, este sábado mientras continúa por quinto día un gigantesco incendio en el vertedero Duquesa, el principal depósito de desechos sólidos en Santo Domingo (República Dominicana).

It is not about being opposed to the closure of landfills and their replacement by other disposal technologies, it is about ensuring that any closure process will take into consideration and prioritize the sustainable integration of waste pickers and recyclers whose livelihoods depend on working at these landfills.

Recyclers, catadores, cartoneros, carreros, biffins and canners from all over the world fight for a workplace where their profession and their struggles of seeking food for their homes are recognized.