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Grassroots waste picker organizations addressing the UN sustainable development goals

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  • Gutberlet, Jutta

Abstract

Worldwide waste pickers work under deplorable conditions and are not recognized for their environmental and community services, by recovering and diverting recyclable materials from waste. Brazil has accumulated experiences of international relevance, particularly between 2004 and 2015, due to institutional and policy support for the Social and Solidarity Economy and the creation of a National Waste Pickers’ movement. These conditions have favored the formation of new recycling cooperatives throughout the country. While there is still a wide spectrum of differences among these membership-based organizations, they also have many characteristics in common and share similar values and objectives. This research aims to demonstrate that when organized and supported by public policies and inclusive governance these groups are able to tackle several of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This article presents results of a case study, conducted over the period of 5 months in 2018, involving 21 waste picker cooperatives in the metropolitan region of São Paulo, Brazil. Data collection included the application of a questionnaire to the leaders of the 21 cooperatives and site visits to their facilities, including informal conversations with members. Data was collected at the cooperatives and involved note taking and voice recording. The data was transcribed and tabled for the subsequent content analysis. The results demonstrate the impacts of the work of organized waste pickers on SDGs (goals # 1, 5, 8, 11 and 12). The study shows how these groups address social, economic and environmental targets, how they build resilience and reduce vulnerabilities. Many cooperatives still operate under precarious conditions, suffering from weak government commitments and neglect or from the volatility of the economy. Public policies and participation in governance are instrumental in acknowledging waste picker organizations and remunerating their services to thus unlock their full potential to further the progress on the implementation of SDGs. Political will is paramount for waste pickers to become the champions in the transition to more sustainable development.

Suggested Citation

  • Gutberlet, Jutta, 2021. "Grassroots waste picker organizations addressing the UN sustainable development goals," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:138:y:2021:i:c:s0305750x20303223
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2020.105195
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    3. Aryampa, Shamim & Maheshwari, Basant & Sabiiti, Elly N. & Bateganya, Najib L. & Olobo, Christopher, 2022. "Understanding the impacts of waste disposal site closure on the livelihood of local communities in africa: A case study of the kiteezi landfill in Kampala, Uganda," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 25(C).
    4. Antonella Maiello, 2022. "In, Out or Beyond? Waste Pickers and Policy Networks: A Story from Jardim Gramacho (Rio de Janeiro)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-25, December.
    5. Denise Díaz de León & Omar Díaz Fragoso & Igor Rivera & Gibrán Rivera, 2021. "Cooperatives of Mexico: Their Social Benefits and Their Contribution to Meeting the Sustainable Development Goals," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-19, April.
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    7. R. Souza Piao & T. B. Vincenzi & D. A. Vazquez‐Brust & N. Yakovleva & S. Bonsu & M. M. Carvalho, 2024. "Barriers toward circular economy transition: Exploring different stakeholders' perspectives," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(1), pages 153-168, January.
    8. Laura Neville & Luisa Fernanda Tovar Cortés, 2023. "Waste Pickers’ Formalisation from Bogotá to Cartagena de Indias: Dispossession and Socio-Economic Enclosures in Two Colombian Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-17, June.
    9. Julia Luz Camargos Mesquita & Jutta Gutberlet & Katiuscia Pereira de Araujo & Vanessa Resende Nogueira Cruvinel & Fabiano Harada Duarte, 2023. "Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Based on Social Recycling: A Case Study with Waste Picker Cooperatives in Brasília, Brazil," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-17, June.
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    11. Isabella Tamine Parra Miranda & Reginaldo Fidelis & Dayanne Aline de Souza Fidelis & Luiz Alberto Pilatti & Claudia Tania Picinin, 2020. "The Integration of Recycling Cooperatives in the Formal Management of Municipal Solid Waste as a Strategy for the Circular Economy—The Case of Londrina, Brazil," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-22, December.
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