Significance of waste pickers
– They form the base of a pyramid that includes scrap dealers, aggregators and re-processors which has helped large producers to internalise the plastic waste management costs.
– By diverting waste towards recycling and reuse, waste pickers also subsidise local governments responsible for solid waste management.
– They reduce the amount of waste accumulating in cities, water bodies and dumpsites
– The SBM Plastic Waste Book attributes India’s high recycling rate to this informal sector.
