Informal Recycling Research Articles

Recent evolution of the informal recycling sector in Argentina within the 'popular economy': Measuring its impact through a case study in Tandil (Buenos Aires).

The integration of the informal recycling sector into formal waste management systems is imperative to the implementation of the circular economy in the Global South. In Argentina, after the 2001 crisis, some large cities such as Buenos Aires greatly improved their informal recycling sector integration. In medium-size cities from the rest of the province, this was not the case. However, the formation of a national coalition between different sectors of what is now called the 'popular economy' forced the enactment, in the context of a new crisis, of a Social Emergency Law, which includes a Complementary Social Salary equivalent to half the minimum wage, among its main features. In this paper, we recap these recent changes and we use the InteRa framework in a case study to measure how, along with academic and civil society support actions, they influenced the informal recycling sector integration in an intermediate city of Buenos Aires province. Our results show that the inclusion of the informal recycling sector improved rapidly after the availability of the Complementary Social Salary. Nevertheless, we registered a hard-to-overcome stagnation in some indicators of the InteRa framework, related to the weak engagement of the local municipal government with the informal recycling sector. Importantly, the advent of the Complementary Social Salary was not reflected in any indicator because there is no specific action related to this aspect in the InteRa framework. This may give an insight into future methodology improvement.

Micronutrient-rich dietary intake is associated with a reduction in the effects of particulate matter on blood pressure among electronic waste recyclers at Agbogbloshie, Ghana

BackgroundInformal recycling of electronic waste (e-waste) releases particulate matter (PM) into the ambient air. Human exposure to PM has been reported to induce adverse effects on cardiovascular health. However, the impact of PM on the cardiovascular health of e-waste recyclers in Ghana has not been studied. Although intake of micronutrient-rich diet is known to modify these PM-induced adverse health effects, no data are available on the relationship between micronutrient status of e-waste recyclers and the reported high-level exposure to PM. We therefore investigated whether the intake of micronutrient-rich diets ameliorates the adverse effects of ambient exposure to PM2.5 on blood pressure (BP).MethodsThis study was conducted among e-waste and non-e-waste recyclers from March 2017 to October 2018. Dietary micronutrient (Fe, Ca, Mg, Se, Zn, and Cu) intake was assessed using a 2-day 24-h recall. Breathing zone PM2.5 was measured with a real-time monitor. Cardiovascular indices such as systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), and pulse pressure (PP) were measured using a sphygmomanometer. Ordinary least-squares regression models were used to estimate the joint effects of ambient exposure to PM2.5 and dietary micronutrient intake on cardiovascular health outcomes.ResultsFe was consumed in adequate quantities, while Ca, Se, Zn, Mg, and Cu were inadequately consumed among e-waste and non-e-waste recyclers. Dietary Ca, and Fe intake was associated with reduced SBP and PP of e-waste recyclers. Although PM2.5 levels were higher in e-waste recyclers, exposures in the control group also exceeded the WHO 24-h guideline value (25 μg/m3). Exposure to 1 μg/m3 of PM2.5 was associated with an increased heart rate (HR) among e-waste recyclers. Dietary Fe intake was associated with a reduction in systolic blood pressure levels of e-waste recyclers after PM exposure.ConclusionsConsistent adequate dietary Fe intake was associated with reduced effects of PM2.5 on SBP of e-waste recyclers overtime. Nonetheless, given that all other micronutrients are necessary in ameliorating the adverse effects of PM on cardiovascular health, nutrition-related policy dialogues are required. Such initiatives would help educate informal e-waste recyclers and the general population on specific nutrients of concern and their impact on the exposure to ambient air pollutants.

A cross-sectional study on the environmental culture and occupational health of informal waste pickers in Lima, Peru

To determine the level of environmental culture of the informal sector waste pickers and compliance with occupational health standards of informal waste pickers. Specific objectives: to explore the relationship between the level of environmental culture and compliance with occupational health standards: exposure to physical, chemical, biological, and ergonomic agents in informal waste pickers in 2019. Quantitative, correlational, cross-sectional, and non-experimental study. A sample of 400 informal waste pickers participated. Two questionnaires were applied: environmental culture and occupational health standards. There is a medium positive and weak positive relationship between the environmental culture variable and the different agents (physical, chemical, biological, and ergonomic). There is a significant positive correlation between environmental culture and occupational health. Likewise, there is a weak positive significant correlation between environmental culture and agents (physical, chemical, biological, and ergonomic), and a significant positive correlation between environmental culture and the social responsibility agent. Informal waste pickers do not have their basic needs and rights met. A lack of occupational health safety characterizes informal recycling, so it is necessary to create formal and safe work environments with health promotion and prevention practices.

Formal and informal waste selective collection in developing megacities: Analysis of residents' involvement in Bolivia.

The implementation of waste selective collection (SC) schemes in low-income countries is a challenge although it is one important way for improving environmental sustainability. The inclusion of the population is necessary for gaining effective results, and social surveys are support methods for understanding citizens' involvement and behaviour. The aim of the research is to assess the support of the citizens concerning the formal and informal recycling in a low-middle income country. The study presents a questionnaire survey conducted in 2018 in La Paz, Bolivia, where 774 citizens were interviewed for evaluating their support to the formal and informal SC systems. Two questionnaires were submitted to two different users' categories: users of the formal recyclable waste gathering points; and citizens of the neighbourhoods. Evidence of the survey shows that about 8% of the population supports the formal SC while about 48% are used to selecting their waste at home. About 79.2% of them bring the waste to the informal recycling shops or provide it to waste pickers, throwing the waste into or nearby the mixed containers in order to facilitate their collection. This research demonstrates how social inclusion is important for planning recycling systems within a developing big city, starting from the SC. Results suggest that the informal sector can be an effective means for improving the recycling behaviour of the citizens. The study can be of interest to stakeholders involved in introducing recycling policies in developing cities where the SC rate is still low, and informal waste collection exists.

Health care access of informal waste recyclers in Johannesburg, South Africa.

IntroductionInformal waste recyclers contribute significantly to waste removal in South Africa. Waste recyclers face health hazards which are associated with handling and disposal of waste, a lack of personal protective wear and inaccessibility to occupational health care services. Consequently, accessing health care within the public health care sector is important for health outcomes in this population. This study assesses health care access of informal waste recyclers in South Africa to establish baseline information for health planning for potential inclusion of informal waste recyclers into occupational health services.MethodsA cross-sectional study of informal waste recyclers in two landfill sites in Johannesburg was conducted from March 2018. A standardized structured questionnaire was used to collect information on sociodemographic details, health care utilization, barriers to access and acceptability and affordability of health care. Factors associated with health care utilization were assessed using logistic regression.ResultsA total of 363 informal waste recyclers were included in the study. Less than half of informal waste recyclers (41.0%) used health care facilities in the last 12 months. Those who accessed services chose to use facilities close to where they live (87.0%). Barriers to accessing health care services included long waiting periods (36.6%), being unable to take time off work (26.3%) and transport problems (13%). In the univariate analysis, factors such as gender and being treated well at the clinic and location of the health care facility were associated with health care utilization (OR: 1.97, p = 0.05, OR: 1.94, p = 0.02, OR: 0.65, p = 0.04 respectively).ConclusionInformal waste recyclers face numerous challenges to accessing health care. Specific to their informal trade, barriers to health care utilization are related to financial repercussions due to the informal nature of their work.

A new learning interaction rule for municipal household waste classification behavior based on multi-agent-based simulation

The sorting and recycling of municipal household waste (MHW) as a complex adaptive system is becoming increasingly popular in current research. However, traditional simulation modeling ignores the important influence of anticipated regret and personality traits on individual choice behavior. This study introduces the degree of regret-joy in agent-based simulation modeling and designs a learning rule that takes into account the personality characteristics of individuals, their neighbors, and historical information to analyze the waste sorting behavior of municipal residents. The results suggest that the number of people participating in formal recycling approaches is significantly higher than informal recycling approaches after accounting for the economic profits of formal recycling approaches. Our results also reveal that subsidies are an important factor influencing the waste sorting behavior of municipal residents. However, simply reducing the time required for a formal recycling approach does not affect the behavioral decisions of municipal residents. Only improving the accessibility of facilities in formal recycling approaches on the premise of regulating the informal recycling market, will the number of municipal residents participating in the former increase significantly. The intensity of communication and learning among municipal residents also affects the volatility of decision-making. When intensity is high, group decision-making changes greatly, but at low intensity, group behavior tends to be stable. These findings are useful as a theoretical reference for the development of waste management policies.

Economic development and human ties in informal food waste recycling: A follow-up study in Da Nang, Vietnam

This study examined the effects of economic development on the commercialised and non-commercialised segments of informal food waste recycling in Da Nang City, Vietnam. Food waste was collected from the urban centre and used as pig feed in swine farms in suburban areas. The commercialised and non-commercialised segments of this system have evolved differently over time. During our observation period of 2011-2016, swine farmers became concerned about economic efficiency, which affected the manner in which they used food waste. By 2016, more farmers had begun to use food waste brokers instead of collecting food waste themselves so that they could concentrate on rearing pigs. The price of food waste remained low, reflecting the farmers' need for low-cost feeding. This resulted in the closure of commercialised transactions between households and waste collectors amid increased household income. Instead, non-commercialised transactions supported by human ties became the main mode of household participation in food waste recycling . Our findings can guide the use of different elements in this informal recycling system within the framework of a formalised recycling system implemented by the government.

A model to rapidly assess informal electronic waste systems.

Electronic waste (e-waste) policies have traditionally been based on extended producer responsibility (EPR) principles. In practice, EPR-based e-waste policies primarily involve the creation of regulated collection and recycling channels, with success tied to achieving high collection quotas. However, the majority of EPR programs, particularly those in the Global South, have achieved little success due to competition with the informal sector. Despite this, strikingly little is known of the scope and dynamics of informal e-waste flows and actors during the formulation of e-waste management policies. This study develops and pilots a replicable three-stage model for solid waste researchers, practitioners and policymakers to rapidly assess these informal e-waste systems. This model is demonstrated in Cuenca, Ecuador, and determined the destination of 50-80% of Cuenca's e-waste over a period of three days. The methods used and findings that emerge from this study offer a strategy to rapidly quantify and understand the dynamics of informal e-waste systems to inform EPR-based policies in ways that place informal recyclers at the core of e-waste management. This not only provides creative opportunities for formal systems to achieve e-waste collection quotas through partnerships with the informal sector, but offers a pathway to preserve the livelihoods of marginalized populations reliant on e-waste recycling and decrease environmental harm.

COVID-19 as method

Events like the COVID-19 pandemic can become what Assa Doron and Robin Jeffrey have called ‘binding crises’: ‘events with the clarity and immediacy of a terrifying threat’ (2018: 12), impacting the rich and the poor, the powerful and the powerless – though unevenly. Binding crises of the past (like the 1842 Great Fire of Hamburg, the 1858 Great Stink in London and the 1896 Bombay plague) have led to ubiquitous reforms in sanitation and waste management practices, most notably landmark innovations in modern sewerage systems. In what follows, I draw on ethnographic research, conducted discontinuously over five years (2015–2019), around municipal solid waste management (MSWM), and the political ecology of informal plastic recycling in the city of Ahmedabad, India.1 I argue that the current pandemic may constitute such a binding event as freelance waste-collection networks are paralysed by the lockdown and ‘authorised’ modes of waste collection are prioritised, leading to a novel ‘infrastructuring’ of emerging relations between human bodies and wasted things.

Recycling contributions of dumpsite waste pickers in Bantar Gebang, Indonesia

Researchers and donors consider informal recyclers as an important part of improving waste management in developing countries. This study investigates data relating to the recycling rate of waste pickers in Bantar Gebang, Republic of Indonesia. The study estimates the net weight of soft plastic and hard plastic recycling achieved by these waste pickers. Data were obtained from qualitative and quantitative field surveys conducted over a total of 808 days, from February 2010 to January 2018. Based on 78 households with a total of 156 individuals, the average monthly weight of collected recyclables was 126.7 kg per household. The average monthly weight of collected recyclables on an individual basis varied between 81.0 and 63.3 kg, depending on the number of informal recyclers in the household. The estimated total weight of collected recyclables was 3617.6 tons per month. Bosses sold these collected recyclables to different recycling factories depending on the expected profit. It was estimated that the activities of the waste pickers produced at least 725.4 tons of recycled pellets of soft plastic and 280.8 tons of recycled pellets and flakes of hard plastic. The informal recycling rate for all waste and non-organic waste on the site was 1.6% and 9.3%, respectively.

Environmental change and the informal plastic recycling networks of Kolkata

This article introduces plastic recycling networks in Kolkata, India, as a case to illustrate the contradictory entanglement of economic and environmental change in urban informal contexts of the Global South. In light of the prevailing environmental critique of informal plastic recycling in India, this article discusses plastic recyclers’ environmental impact and contribution as well as the potential to enhance the environmental and economic performance of their business. Network and chain approaches in the emerging field of Environmental Economic Geography are combined with the notion of social metabolism to conceptualize the entanglement of environmental and economic processes as well as socio‐environmental inequalities entailed in recycling networks. The analysis reveals the impact that the heterogeneity and fluctuation of plastic waste supply has on the economic organization of recycling networks, giving rise to distinct forms of governance in its intermediate and down‐stream segments. Such an integrated perspective also serves to explain why environmental upgrading is hard to achieve under prevailing circumstances by plastic recyclers in Kolkata. Based on an assessment of the social and political conditions of informality under which plastic recyclers operate, the adoption of common assumptions about ecological modernization imbuing parts of Environmental Economic Geography is called into question.

A Review of Institutional Frameworks & Financing Arrangements for Waste Management in Nigerian Cities

Nigeria is rapidly urbanizing and is forecasted to become the 3rd most urbanized nation by 2100. Expectedly, the rapid urbanization presents challenges in many areas including the management of municipal services such as solid waste. This yawning failure is reflected in the poor quality of waste services across Nigerian cities. The study reviewed municipal waste management governance and institutional frameworks, and financing arrangements in two major cities in the North-western and south-eastern parts of Nigeria—Kano and Enugu cities. Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) using a number of structured questions checklist were conducted for the Heads of Government institutions responsible for waste management, Public Appropriation/Budget and Finance Units, as well as other key stakeholders including waste generators (residents and business owners), waste pickers and informal waste recyclers, and waste service providers. Additional, existing policy frameworks and infrastructure financing were reviewed. The findings reveal institutional and policy inadequacies, financing limitations, technical incapacity, infrastructural inadequacies, and socio-economic and attitudinal barriers, that collectively impede effective and efficient waste management service delivery in both cities. The assumption is that the findings of this study reflects the status in many Nigerian cities.

Understanding the factors for increased informal electronic waste recycling in Kumasi, Ghana

ABSTRACT The purpose of this paper is twofold: to explore the factors influencing the emergence and growth of informal e-waste activities and to examine workers’ motivation for involvement in informal e-waste activities. Semi-structured interviews and observations among actors in the recently established Dagomba-Line e-waste site in Kumasi, Ghana were employed to gather relevant data. Emergence and growth of e-waste activities are largely influenced by spatial, political, socio-cultural and economic factors. The reuse and open disposal of e-waste are the common practices due to the cost of transportation to a final disposal site. Similar to findings at the well-established Agbogbloshie e-waste site, also in Ghana, scavengers are found at the bottom of the e-waste financial ladder. The major motivating factor for engaging in e-waste handling is poverty. Additionally, some respondents mentioned the lucrative nature of the activity, landlessness, and peer influence as a motivation. The results showed that younger workers (below 35 years) were more likely to be engaged in the activity for reasons of peer influence and poverty and major source of livelihood . The paper recommends that policy and planning should reflect ways of delivering and creating stable socio-economic conditions that promote an inclusive and sustainable development.

E-waste lead exposure and children's health in China

China is one of the countries worldwide confronted with serious e-waste pollution and associated detrimental health effects, which has aroused public, academic and governmental concerns. Most local residents are exposed to hazardous substances such as lead (Pb) and other persistent organic pollutants because of informal e-waste recycling activities. This study reviews recent studies on children exposed to e-waste Pb in China focusing on health-related effects in children (e.g. growth and development, cardiovascular, immune, nervous, respiratory, reproductive, skeletal, and urinary systems) and evaluating the evidence for the association between e-waste Pb exposure and the children health outcomes in China. Children are one of most sensitive and vulnerable groups when facing e-waste Pb exposure. Previous data indicate that exposure to e-waste Pb has adverse effect on human health such as delayed and damaged physical and nervous development. It is the time to take effective measures, such as upgrading e-waste recycling technology, enhancing government policy guidance and support, and strengthening environmental protection and health awareness of the local inhabitants, to prevent the adverse effects of e-waste.

The adoption of online e-waste collection platform to improve environmental sustainability: an empirical study of Chinese millennials

PurposeThe study aims to explore how young consumers perceive and adopt the online e-waste collection platform, by developing a conceptual framework that integrates the theory of planned behavior, the technology acceptance model and the perceived risk. Based on conceptual framework, the study further identifies factors that positively or negatively influence the Chinese millennials' decision on the use of online collection platform.Design/methodology/approachThe study conducts a questionnaire survey from 807 Chinese millennials living in urban and rural areas. Based on the collected data, the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) is employed to conduct PLS path modeling and multi-group analysis.FindingsThe study results support the proposed conceptual framework and confirm its robustness in investigating Chinese millennials' intentions to adopt online e-waste collection platform. The findings suggest that the perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control have positive impact, while perceived risk has negative impact on the behavioral intentions of millennials on the adoption of the platform.Originality/valueWith the emergence of Internet technology, online e-waste collection platform has arisen as an innovative and alternative solution to improve environmental sustainability by encouraging e-waste collection through formal recycling channels in China. In order to divert the consumers from informal recycling channels to online e-waste collection platform, it is necessary to understand what factors impact the adoption of this platform among consumers. The study provides theoretical contribution and practical implications relevant to regulators and practitioners to encourage the adoption of online e-waste collection platform.

Understanding Environmental Pollutions of Informal E-Waste Clustering in Global South via Multi-Scalar Regulatory Frameworks: A Case Study of Guiyu Town, China

The recycling of e-waste by the informal sector has brought countries in the Global South raw materials (e.g. metals and plastics), second-hand electronic equipment and components, and economic opportunities in conjunction with appalling environmental pollutions and health problems. Despite the longstanding international and national legislation regulating transnational trade and domestic recycling, informal e-waste economies are still clustering in many Global South countries. This study offers historically and geographically specific explanations of this conundrum, by interrogating the multi-scalar regulatory frameworks in which the informal e-waste economies and their pollutions are embedded, by drawing on China, particularly the former global e-waste hub-Guiyu town, as the case study. We argue that the contested and problematic application of current international and national legislation in regulating e-waste is in part pertaining to the slippery definition of what counts as “e-waste” and its paradoxical nature as both resources and pollutants. At the global scale, trajectories of global e-waste flows are shaped by the multitude of loopholes, contradictions and ambiguous articles left by the Basel Convention and by different countries’ disparate attitudes towards the e-waste trade. At the national scale, the ambiguities and contradictions in the Basel Convention have been passed on to and shaped China’s national e-waste regulatory frameworks. China’s equivocal legislation, paradoxical attitude, and formal enterprises’ weak competence contribute to the rise of informal e-waste recycling in Guiyu. Yet, China’s e-waste regime has been greatly restructured within the past decade, with formal recycling enterprises playing an increasingly significant role.

Metal Levels, Genetic Instability, and Renal Markers in Electronic Waste Workers in Thailand.

Background: Informal electronic waste (e-waste) recycling is an increasingly important industry worldwide. However, few studies have studied the health risks in this group of workers. Objective: To assess the associations between occupational exposures to metals and genetic instability and renal markers among e-waste recycling workers. Methods: We recruited informal e-waste recycling workers from a community in northeastern Thailand. Participants completed a questionnaire, several health measurements, and provided urine and blood samples, which we then analyzed for a number of metals including lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and manganese (Mn). Samples were analyzed for a marker of RNA and DNA damage (ie, oxidative stress), 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG). Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and fractional excretion of calcium (FECa%) were measured as markers of renal function. Correlations and regression models were used to assess associations between these various factors. Results: We found significantly higher levels of Cd and Pb in blood of men compared with those in women. Men who worked >48 hours/week had significantly higher levels of 8-OHdG compared with men who worked ≤48 hours/week. Smoking was significantly associated with higher blood Pb and Cd concentrations among men. Conclusion: Our results suggest gender differences in both blood concentrations of metals associated with e-waste recycling and smoking and highlight potentially elevated oxidative stress associated with longer work hours. Health promotion efforts are needed among informal e-waste recyclers to reduce possible risks of renal damage and cancer.

Informal e-waste recycling and plasma levels of non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (NDL-PCBs) – A cross-sectional study at Agbogbloshie, Ghana

Informal e-waste recycling leads to a contamination of the workers with several hazardous substances, in particular heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) belong to the group of POPs and are suspected to be associated with adverse health effects. In particular lower chlorinated PCBs, such as the congeners PCB 28 and PCB 52 are a marker of occupational exposure. The aim of our study was to assess the occupational PCB exposure in e-waste workers in relation to their specific recycling task (e.g. dismantling, burning). Altogether, n = 88 e-waste workers and n = 196 control subjects have been included in this study. All plasma participant's samples were evaluated for the PCB congeners PCB 28, 52, 101, 138, 153, 180 and sum of NDL-indicator congeners by human biomonitoring. A significant difference could be detected for the lower chlorinated PCB congeners (PCB 28, 52, and 101) for e-waste workers in comparison to the control group. Analyzing specific recycling tasks, workers who dismantle and those who burn e-waste showed the highest plasma levels of PCB 28 and 52. In conclusion, e-waste workers showed occupational related elevated PCB levels. Although those levels did not exceed the BAT value, workers were contaminated with PCBs during their task. Occupational health and safety measure are therefore necessary to protect the worker's health.

Recycling sustainability of waste paper industry in Beijing City: An analysis based on value chain and GIS model

China established a self-organized and market-driven recycling system, which was dominated by the informal sectors. In recent years, the amount of domestically-recycled waste paper grew slower than expectation in China, which may be resulted from a decline in economic sustainability of current recycling system. For understanding the waste paper recycling system in most cities in China, the economic mechanism remains unclear and the city-level data is extremely insufficient. In this work, an index of recycling sustainability (IRS, benefit divided by cost) is analyzed with a resolution of 1 km2 grid in Beijing City, by adopting value chain and GIS methodology. Five degrees of IRS are defined, from high-degree (IRS > 1.10) to low-degree (IRS < 0.95). Different stakeholders in the informal waste paper recycling system were interviewed to fill the data gap. Results show that: (1) from 2015 to 2018, the informal recycling of waste paper accounted for approximate 80% in Beijing; (2) the number of informal recyclables distribution sites decreased from 27 to 11, and their average distance to the city-center rose from 27.5 km to 40.9 km; (3) in 2015 and 2018, the grids with high-degree IRS accounted for 99.5% and 89.2%, respectively, indicating a sustainable waste paper recycling industry in Beijing; and (4) according to the scenario analysis, if the operating cost rises by 30%, the grids with low-degree IRS accounts for 98.5%, indicating a nontrivial challenges when the recycling cost keeps increasing in the future. Policy recommendations are put forward for a more sustainable paper waste recycling system in China.

Greenhouse Gas Estimation of Plastic Waste Reverse Logistic Networks System in Semarang City

Plastic waste in Indonesia has become global issues, where Indonesia itself has been stated as the second plastic waste polluter in the world. Semarang City, as one of the major cities in Indonesia, is also facing plastic waste problems. Reverse logistics network study for plastic waste recycling could be used as an alternative method to reduce emissions. In this study, the reverse logistics network of plastic waste is evaluated based on the estimation of greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4 and N2O) generated from recycling activities. The results showed that the most significant GHG emissions came from the plastic waste grinder (intermediates) for about 513 kgCO2eq/day. According to the calculations, the optimal number of informal recycling businesses is 224 units of scrap dealers, 358 units of small-scale enterprises, 23 units of large-scale enterprises, and 18 units of grinders. Total greenhouse gases produced from the 623 recycle business units were 932 kgCO2eq/day. Optimizing existing reverse logistics scenarios was needed to evaluate greenhouse gas emissions and mitigation scenario for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.