Waste pickers lament nondelivery of karikis by Enviro Mobi
In South Africa, thousands of reclaimers are responsible for the country’s high recycling rate but despite their hard work, they still face harassment and discrimination.
Reclaimers make the most of the opportunities that are available in the recycling sector. They are the ones who perform one of the toughest jobs in the circular economy and are often the ones who remain unbanked.
In South Africa, there are more than 60 000 waste reclaimers, who collect and recycle various types of materials from commercial and residential waste bins and landfill sites. They sell the waste to large recycling companies through small buyback centres.
To promote the integration of reclaimers into the formal waste economy, the environment department adopted the waste picker integration guidelines. These guidelines encourage the legislative process to bring about the necessary changes to allow the reuse and recycling of waste.
The waste picker integration guidelines were developed to recognise the various roles that waste pickers play in the recycling economy. It is hoped that these guidelines will help improve the conditions of the individuals who are involved in the value chain, according to Professor Melanie Samson, of the University of Johannesburg.
Is a brighter future for reclaimers looming?
In response to the increasing number of informal waste reclaimers, Coca-Cola and BanQu have partnered to launch a payment platform that will allow them to process their banking.
The new project uses blockchain technology to improve the efficiency of reclaimers and buy-back centres by making it easier for them to record transactions. Project Up is an initiative of PET Recycling Company, a provider of sustainable solutions. It will allow buy-back centres and reclaimers to record transactions and track the various types of materials that they collect. For reclaimers, it will also help them track the revenue that they receive from the transactions.
The project, funded by the Coca-Cola Foundation, has already resulted in positive results. According to David Drew, the sustainability director of Coca-Cola Africa, the company’s blockchain-based solution will allow it to provide financial support to South Africa’s small buyback centres and waste reclaimers.
Interim data collected through the project shows that the introduction of blockchain technology has helped to increase the volume of materials that are recycled. It also helped the buy-back centres increase their purchases of recyclable materials. The collaboration between Coca-Cola and BanQu promotes the formalisation of waste pickers in the waste management sector.
According to Barnes, this formalisation is important to ensure that the waste pickers are treated fairly and that they can keep contributing to the country’s growing formal recycling economy.
It is believed that the formalisation of reclaimers in South Africa could help them gain access to more resources and opportunities, while also addressing some of their safety concerns. It is additionally hoped that the changes in the value chain will improve their working conditions.
The benefit of this blockchain technology is transparency between reclaimers and buyback centres, which has been a struggle for reclaimers for a very long time. Through BanQu, reclaimers can easily record their transactions and demonstrate their earnings. This will allow them to gain access to credit.
BanQu also provides a convenient and secure way for waste pickers to make payments. It eliminates the risk associated with cash transactions and provides them with direct financial support. Through the platform, waste reclaimers can build a financial history that can be used to validate their participation in the global supply chain.
The platform aims to improve the understanding of the various contributions of the informal sector to the recycling value chain. It also helps improve the recognition of the important role of buyback centres and waste reclaimers. This is an excellent opportunity for reclaimers to become formalised and benefit from the national initiative.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Mail & Guardian.