Waste Picker/Reclaimer Integration Guidelines in South Africa

The current global patterns of waste production are grossly unsustainable, and existing waste management systems are largely inadequate. Around the world waste pickers play a critical role in extracting recyclables from the waste stream, and in doing so reduce landfill space and waste management budgets for municipalities. Waste picker integration is increasingly seen as best global practice, and in South Africa could address both environmental and social justice priorities. To this end the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF) has recently released the Waste Picker Integration Guideline for South Africa to support South African policy and legislation to move waste “away from landfill towards value recovery” (2020). This webinar session provides an overview of the Waste Picker Integration Guidelines by its lead author, Dr. Melanie Samson. Members of the South African Waste Picker Association (SAWPA), groundWork (gW) and the African Reclaimers Organisation (ARO) provide insights into the key highlights of the guidelines for waste pickers.