COVID-19 and Waste Workers
Ongoing Project (2019- )
Given the current critical public health concern originated with Covid-19, CBRL has contributed to the creation of specific initiatives to support waste pickers in other countries and diverters in our own community.
Diverters and waste pickers are individuals who make a living from collecting bottles and cans, redirecting them from the waste stream into the circular economy. These individuals are particularly vulnerable during the current pandemic, because they might become exposed to contaminated recyclables. Some of these individuals are elderly, homeless and/or have existing health issues, which exposes them and makes them more susceptible to contracting the virus.
“Not only don’t we have access to hand sanitizer because it costs money, but we also don’t have access to soap and running water while working in the streets collecting recyclable materials and we can’t just stop working, otherwise we would not eat and would equally die.”
Waste pickers often work in the streets or at dumps, where they don’t have access to running water, soap or sanitizer. Sometimes they even lack these at home. Most often they do not have masks or gloves to protect themselves during the work. Most waste pickers in the global South are very poor and their income source depends on collecting, separating and selling recyclables. The lack of formal or other income sources forces them to continue working, potentially exposing them to the virus and making social distancing difficult. Their income is now lower, due to overall changes in consumption, loss of clients due to closed business (offices, restaurants, stores, etc.) with whom they had established agreements to collect recyclable waste. All these factors bring waste pickers to the verge of misery. They don’t have savings, nor other income sources. Not all waste pickers will be compensated by the government or can be reached through solidarity campaigns. We foresee widespread increased poverty, which will also reflect in food insecurity with all its consequences.
Our initiative emerged as member of the International Committee on Waste Workers Occupational Safety and Health (WHWB), together with scholars from the Department of Public Health at the University of Brasilia and from WIEGO (Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing), as emergency action to support waste pickers around the globe. We designed information material in English and Portuguese to be disseminated in Brazil, Canada, Kenya, Tanzania, Nicaragua and Argentina. We have distributed the posters through our networks in Brazil and other countries, to reach the cooperative level. We are also developing research on the impact of Covid-19 on waste pickers and their resilience.
Reports and Videos
Statement to Recognize Waste Workers as Essential Workers by WWOSH, report available here.
Q & A document about COVID-19 and Waste Workers, developed by the Waste Workers Occupational Safety And Health Committee (WWOSH), available here.
Portuguese: Q & A document here
Portuguese: Q & A document here
Italian: Q & A document here
Spanish: Q & A document here
French: Q & A document here
Criolo: Q & A document here
Publications
Giatti, L. & Agum, R. & Nava, A. & Gutberlet, J. (2021). Emerging complexities and rising omission: Contrasts among socio-ecological contexts of infectious diseases, research and policy in Brazil. Genetics and Molecular Biology. 44. 2. 10.1590/1678-4685-GMB-2020-0229. Access here and translated in Portuguese here. Details below.
In the critical context of COVID-19 in Brazil, a number of factors corroborate the exacerbation of vulnerability to the emergence or reemergence of infectious diseases. On the one hand, severe disturbances to ecosystems, such as deforestation in the Amazon, where there is a large collection of pathogenic microorganisms with the possibility of affecting human populations. On the other hand, scientific denialism, weakening of public institutions, attacks and oppression of research institutions and generalized socioecological instability. This characterizes a worrisome context for a double infectious disease insurgency, driven by simplifying developmental policies and, therefore, omitting irrefutable complexity.
No contexto crítico da COVID-19 no Brasil, uma série de fatores corroboram a exacerbação da a vulnerabilidade para a emergência ou reemergência de doenças infecciosas. De um lado, severos distúrbios aos ecossistemas, como desmatamento na Amazônia, onde há um grande acervo de microrganismos patogênicos com possibilidade de afetar populações humanas. De outro lado, negacionismo científico, enfraquecimento de instituições públicas, ataques e opressão à instituições de pesquisa e generalizada instabilidade socioecológica. Isso caracteriza um preocupante contexto para uma dupla insurgência de doenças infecciosas, impulsionado por políticas desenvolvimentistas simplificadoras e, por isso, omissas quanto a uma complexidade irrefutável.
Azevedo, A. M. M.; Gutberlet, J.; Harada, F. & Dias, S. (2022) Impactos da Covid-19 sobre catadores de materiais recicláveis organizados no Estado de São Paulo. Ambiente & Sociedade. 25.
Azevedo, A. M. M.; Gutberlet, J.; Harada, F. & Dias, S. (2022) Impacts of Covid-19 on organized waste pickers in selected municipalities in the State of São Paulo, Ambiente & Sociedade. 24.
For more publications and knowledge mobilization products see also our News and Publication section.
Portuguese video with English subtitles
French video
Criolo video
Spanish video