government, which gains stability and better prices for their workers.11 Both of these would encourage more IRC to join cooperatives and eventually, either supported by government or organizations, receive better social services and more reliable pay for their work as in the case of the Linnis Ganda program started in the Metro Manila area of the Philippines, more on this initiative in appendix F. Incorporating the informal sector would save cities money and increase recycling behavior, which in turn would improve environmental footprints. See appendix G for the successes and advancements made in Buenos Aires towards this goal.
Provide IRC and Families with Basic Protection and Care In lieu of or before formalizing IRC into SWM systems the basic need for protective equipment can be met. Government, cooperative, NGO, IGO or a combination of any should take responsibility for funding and distributing basic protective equipment to IRC throughout the city. This basic step decreases risks of infectious diseases among IRC. Basic protective equipment includes, but is not limited to; gloves, footwear, masks and tools to sort waste. The same entity would fund education initiatives on the importance of protective equipment and education on how to properly use such equipment. To encourage IRC to participate, refund programs can be included, where feasible, for food or health checks in turn for picking up said equipment. Vaccination programs are of key importance to the health and wellbeing of IRC, wherein microinsurance programs could prove a beneficial way to encourage IRC to receive vaccinations.12 Building sanitation facilities outside of or near dumpsites for IRC that work within dumps can decrease risk of spreading disease and infection.13 Education enhances IRC employment opportunities as well. Where feasible, ideally with the aid of NGOs and/ 11 “The informal recycling sector in developing countries.” Public Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility: Grid Lines.
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or CBOs (cooperatives), programs can provide vocational training to IRC along with training in health, hygiene and family planning.14 One should consider incorporating childcare and increased access and/or incentive to education in order to reduce IRC child labor.
Source Separation of Trash Neither city implements a system of at home waste separation currently. The source separation of waste, even at the very base between wet and dry components, would give home owners more awareness and responsibility in improving their own environments and improving conditions for IRC. By homeowners separating trash IRC would come into less contact with harmful substances. Cooperatives or the government can create campaigns informing citizens of proper separation techniques. Incentives for trash separation need to be researched and used in ad campaigns to encourage this activity. This will incorporate the positive support of IRC, supporting their efforts to improve recycling within the city and change their sometimes-negative image. In some parts of Mexico, donations of recyclables to cooperatives are tax deductible for businesses. Cooperatives should enter into agreements with business and/or government for the recovery rights of already separated materials, which would enhance IRC situation by removing the need to sort through garbage and walk miles a day to find recyclables.15 Separate colored bags could be distributed or sold by cooperatives to designate between types of waste. Eventually, this separation would ideally evolve into separating of recyclables so that IRC collect already sorted bags of recyclables and eliminate their contact with harmful substances. Another idea to encourage separation of waste comes from a program started in one region of Mexico City that could be widely expanded throughout the city. This program, created by local vegetable and plant vendors and the Mexico City secretariat of the environment, set up a market of local farmers where residents
12 United Nations Human Settlement Programme. Solid Waste Management in the World’s Cities: Water and Sanitation in the World’s Cities 2010 (pg. 17)
14 World Bank: Urban Environment Thematic Group, 133.
13 World Bank: Urban Environment Thematic Group. Toolkit: Social Assessment and Public Participation in Municipal Solid Waste Management (pg. 131)
15 “The informal recycling sector in developing countries.” Public Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility: Grid Lines.
Journal of the MARTIN INSTITUTE | INTERNATIONAL STUDIES