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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4th Congress of Waste Pickers of Latin America and the Caribbean

Callao, Peru, June 1-3, 2010


Abstract

The 4th Congress of the Latin American Waste Pickers Network (Red Lacre) took place in Callao, Peru from 2-3 of June 2010. The congress followed the First Congress of Waste Pickers of Peru on June 1st and so strengthened the integration of Peruvian waste pickers into Red Lacre. The event was attended by 1,200 participants representing 9 of the 14 countries that form Red Lacre. Many ministers of state participated in the event as well as representatives from the municipalities of Lima and Callao.


The 4th Congress of the Latin American Waste Pickers Network (Red Lacre) took place in Callao, Peru from 2-3 of June 2010. The congress followed the First Congress of Waste Pickers of Peru on June 1st and so strengthened the integration of Peruvian waste pickers into Red Lacre. The event was attended by 1,200 participants representing 9 of the 14 countries that form Red Lacre. Many ministers of state participated in the event as well as representatives from the municipalities of Lima and Callao.

The event was organized by the National Movement of Waste Pickers of Peru (MNPR), the Ministry of the Environment (MINAM), the Ministry of Women and Social Development (MIMDES), the network of urban and rural municipalities of Peru (MUNIRED PERÚ), Red Lacre, AVINA Foundation, and the NGO Ciudade Saludable.

The agenda of the congress reflected the main goals for the event which were: to increase participation of recyclers, to assess the Peruvian national context, to assess occupational hazards of waste picking and to showcase information on available technologies and services. The event was broadcast live over the Internet.

On the last day of the event the Peruvian Minister of the Environment reported on the approval of Law 29.419 by the president of Peru. The law regulates the activity of the waste pickers and was prepared based on a participatory process amongst the National Waste Pickers Movement of Peru and the National Federation of Recyclers. The law establishes normative terrain for the activity carried out by waste pickers, promotes capacity building and the formalization (via cooperatives) of informal workers.