WASTE WORKERS
TYPES OF WASTE COLLECTORS
• Ragpicker
A rag picker is an individual who collects discarded items from the streets
or local areas, such as plastic bags, old toothbrushes, empty bottles, cans,
paper, and other types of waste. They typically gather these materials and
put them into a bag.
• Waste worker
A waste worker is someone involved in the collection and management of
waste at various stages in the waste management process. This includes
government-employed sanitation workers and privately contracted waste
collectors who handle door-to-door waste collection. Waste workers
gather waste from households, offices, shops, streets, transfer stations,
and landfills, helping ensure that waste is properly disposed of or
recycled.
• Waste workers use various types of vehicles to collect waste, such as foot
cycles, or tricycles (locally called "cycle-thela"). These vehicles are not
specifically designed for waste collection, which creates challenges in
their efficiency and capacity.
Problems associated with waste collection vehicles
• The vehicles were originally designed for different purposes, not
specifically for waste collection.
• On average, a waste worker collects 500-600 kg of mixed waste (dry and
wet) from about 200 middle-income households or 75 high-income
households.
• Waste workers often need to push or carry these rickshaws for up to 10
kilometres a day, which is physically demanding.
Flow chart
• The vehicle is originally designed to carry a maximum of 100 kg of waste.
However, increasing the height and weight of the rickshaw to overload it with
waste has led to a higher risk of accidents.
• Pedal rickshaws also require significant physical effort, making them
unsuitable for transporting large volumes of waste or traveling long distances.
The physical strain of pedalling heavy loads, especially on slopes or highways,
can cause extreme fatigue and serious health issues for waste workers.
Slope
• Additionally, waste workers not only carry the weight of the overloaded waste
but also the weight of the rickshaw itself, which includes solid pipes, wooden
boxes, and plastic bags.
• The rickshaw features only a single compartment to carry waste, meaning
there is no segregation of different types of waste.
Problems associated with waste worker
• Waste workers often overload their vehicles with more than 500 kilograms of
waste, leading to severe physical strain, back pain, and fatigue.
• High concentrations of fungi and bacteria in waste expose workers to
microbial hazards and infections.
• Sharp objects like razors, syringes, and broken glass increase the risk of cuts
and injuries during waste collection.
• Direct contact with human and animal faeces poses serious health risks to
waste workers.
• Wet waste becomes heavier, increasing the difficulty of transportation,
especially for workers using manual vehicles like rickshaws, adding to their
physical burden.
Solid Waste Characterization (CPCB, 2019)
[Link]. Types of waste Percentage %
1. Plastic 30.22
2. Paper 0.94
3. Cardboard 0.54
4. Thermocol 0.21
5. Glass 0.40
6. Metals 0.62
7. Leather 0.22
8. Rubber and Synthetics 0.32
9. Clothes and Rags 26.88
10. Stone 2.65
11. Brick 0.90
Expectation/Proposed idea
• Waste collection vehicles, such as rickshaws, should be specifically
designed to improve efficiency and reduce the burden on workers.
• The vehicles should have at least 10 compartments of different sizes to
allow easy segregation of mixed waste. This design will help in sorting
waste like dry, wet, recyclable, and hazardous materials at the source itself,
making the collection process smoother and more organized.
• Proper compartments will also reduce health risks for workers by
minimizing direct contact with harmful waste. Additionally, it will make
waste management more effective and support recycling efforts.