Pilot programme shows residents’ willingness to support waste reclaimers

A unique recycling pilot programme has renewed the essential relationship between waste reclaimers and residents.

The programme, titled “Building an Inclusive Circular Economy: Recycling with Reclaimers in Johannesburg”, has been supported by PETCO, Wits, Unilever and the African Reclaimers Organisation (ARO), along with residents association and other corporates in the sector since 2019, and provided a much-needed boost to embattled informal reclaimers, who suffered due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

The programme also boosted the number of households that recycle, and provided income opportunities in the informal sector.

At present, the pilot has been launched in Auckland Park and Brixton, but more areas in the region are expected to get on board soon.

It was prompted by waste reclaimers reporting harassment, being misunderstood and ignored by residents.

Wits University academic Dr. Melanie Samson explained that security and acknowledgement by residents and authorities was essential to reclaimers.

“They must be valued and respected, they need to be paid for the service they provide, and they need to receive healthcare and other forms of social security,” Samson said.

She added that because reclaimers are recycling experts, they should play a leading role in how they should be integrated, and be part of the process of improving and strengthening their recycling system.

This security and support can and should be provided by residents, especially middle class and wealthy ones, who Samson explained have “a crucial role to play”, by partnering with reclaimers, and putting pressure on government and industry “to ensure that reclaimers receive what they need and are supported in giving life to their visions.”

And residents have shown the are open to working collaboratively with reclaimers, Samson noted, especially in increasing separation-at-source, and improving the working conditions of reclaimers.

Samson said that the survey revealed over 85% of residents think reclaimers should be paid. This is significant, considering that 96% of reclaimers work full-time, but only earn between R400 and R500 a week.

Not enough separation-at-source

Samson lamented that municipalities have been struggling for many years to get residents to consistently separate recyclable items.

However, she said that when reclaimers develop personal relationships with residents from areas they travel through, those residents are more willing to separate recyclables.

“They know the person who will dig through their trash if they don’t (separate recyclables), and they also know that the reclaimer’s family depends on the income they earn from salvaging,” she explained.

She said that if municipalities pledge to support reclaimers to provide recyclable collection services, residents would be more encouraged to separate their recyclable items at home.

Another positive change due to the pilot programme was that materials collected by reclaimers were cleaner, and therefore easier to recycle, according to PETCO board director David Drew.

Separation in the home is something that everyone can do. This is an organic African solution and deserves our support,” Drew enthused.

Covid-19 challenges

The current novel coronavirus pandemic brought the informal waste reclaimer sector to its knees, with most forced to stay indoors due to lockdown.

Due to Covid-19 being a direct threat to all citizens, Samson said that the pandemic made residents realise just how easy it was for reclaimers to contract Covid-19 – and that separating their recyclables reduced the risk of contracting the virus.

The pandemic also meant an increase in personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as tissues and other contaminated items in household trash, which puts reclaimers at more risk of contracting Covid-19.

Contaminated trash should be placed in a separate, sealed bag, so that reclaimers do not come into contact with it, Samson suggested.

She said that more communities have reached out to ARO, and have shown a willingness to separate their waste.

Reclaimers were hit even harder due to strict regulations instilled during lockdown. The first five weeks completely prevented reclaimers from working.

Level Four regulations did permit reclaimers to return to the streets, provided they had a permit and a South African ID, a work permit, an asylum seekers Visa or refugee status, Samson explained.

This meant the exclusion of a significant amount of South African and cross-border reclaimers.

“Reclaimers did not need permits before the lockdown. If this requirement is fully enforced, then reclaimers will be unable to work. Now is not the time to be introducing new restrictions, and it is a concern if this will be carried over after lockdown,” she said.

“We need to make it easier for reclaimers to work and be valued, not harder,” she emphasised.

To add more woes to an already at-risk sector, Samson revealed that although there has been a slight increase in initiatives to better protect reclaimers from contracting Covid-19, by providing them with PPE, this is still insufficient.

“There is still an urgent need for washing stations and healthcare services for reclaimers. All of these were needed before the pandemic, and will still be required once it ends,” she concluded.