A contribution to the understanding of the changes in the profile of the informal recycling market caused by the closure of large dumpsites: A case study from Brazil

Abstract

Waste picking, as a source of subsistence, whether in the street or in open dumpsites, is still a reality in developing countries, such as Brazil. Solid waste management, if not planned in an integrated way, inevitably affects the most fragile links in the chain of such management—the waste pickers. In the Recife Metropolitan Region (RMR), the closure of the Muribeca and Aguazinha dumpsites in the last decade disrupted a contingent of waste pickers, which was estimated to consist of more than 1300 people. In addition, no previous and consolidated study took place about the effects of the closure of those dumpsites on the informal recycling market. In this context, this work aims to provide support to understand waste pickers’ current situation and proposes measures that can result in the informal recycling market’s official integration after the closure of the dumpsites. Using the structured questionnaires as an interview tool, the results obtained in this study reveal the profile of the waste pickers, including age, income, and employment, as well as an overall profile of the informal recycling market.