JUST TRANSITION OF THE INFORMAL RECYCLING SECTOR
CASE STUDIES
Integration of Waste Pickers into Mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility Schemes
South Africa
The informal recycling sector in South Africa consists of an estimated 60,000 to 90,000 waste pickers (or reclaimers, as they are called in South Africa), however, this estimate often goes as high as 215,000. Currently, over 8,000 waste pickers are registered at the South Africa Waste Pickers Registration System (SAWPRS), the official waste pickers registration system introduced in 2021. In South Africa, many waste pickers are migrants who move from rural to urban and peri-urban areas to find employment opportunities. There are also immigrants from other countries, but studies suggest that most waste pickers are South African citizens. They primarily work independently, although some are organised into small groups or cooperatives to improve their bargaining power and access resources and support. Many have been retrieving recyclable materials for over three decades, and some families have been waste pickers for generations.
The African Reclaimers Organisation (ARO) and the South African Waste Pickers Association (SAWPA) are the two leading waste picker organisations in South Africa. The African Reclaimers Organisation, formed in 2018, has 5,500 members (waste pickers) in and around the City of Johannesburg, and the South African Waste Pickers Association, formed in 2009, has between 4,500 and 6,000 members across all nine provinces of South Africa.
Waste pickers in South Africa contribute significantly to waste recovery and recycling, reducing the strain on landfills and keeping valuable resources in the value chain. They collect and sort waste and materials before selling them to buy-back centres or directly to recyclers. In 2017, waste pickers recovered 51% of all post-consumer paper and packaging waste for recycling. It is estimated that their efforts in diverting recyclables from landfills saved local governments 309-749 million ZAR (approximately 28.5-69.1 million USD) in 2014.
South African waste pickers face various challenges. They are exposed to negative perceptions from the formal waste sector and society, and are frequently subjected to negative or derogatory remarks. They are subject to health risks and dangerous working conditions, endure low incomes, conflict with local authorities, and exploitation by unscrupulous intermediaries, especially those not members of any waste pickers’ organisation.
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