Informal plastic waste recycling firms in rural eastern India: Implications for livelihood and health

Abstract

BackgroundIn India, a significant proportion of the total workforce encompasses the informal sector as their primary source of livelihood. However, one of the most severe difficulties in this informal sector is how to best work with them to improve their livelihoods, working conditions and efficiency. ObjectivesThis paper primarily intends to investigate the role of informal plastic waste recycling factories on workers' livelihoods. Further, it will assess the prevalence of self-reported health disorders with multiple responses and their predictors for recycling plastic factory workers (RFWs). MethodsThis is a cross-sectional survey of RFWs. Primary data was collected from one dominating plastic factory hub of Malda district, West Bengal, through purposive sampling from July to August 2021. Descriptive statistics and the relative risk ratio method were applied to fulfil the objectives. ResultsThe findings portray both the positive and negative implications of these factories. Despite the significant economic benefits, its informal working environment makes workers' health more vulnerable in the long run. Nearly 78% of factory workers are faced muscular pain as a prominent one. Further, statistical analysis indicated a substantial positive relationship between the magnitude of workers' health disorders with increasing years of work experience and demographic attributes (p < 0.05 and p < 0.10). ConclusionThese findings conclude that preserving economic growth and hazards remains a significant concern for policymakers. Also, there is an urgent need to formalise these informal factories while improving the living, working conditions, and efficiency of recycling factory workers.