An estimated 20 million informal waste sector workers and waste pickers play a critical role in plastics collection, contributing to nearly 60% of global recycling efforts. Despite this, their contributions are overlooked, and they are vulnerable to human rights issues including inadequate pay, child labor, and health risks. Recognizing and collaborating with informal waste sector workers is essential to solving the plastic pollution crisis and increasing the supply of recycled plastic. Businesses in turn have an important role to play in addressing human rights issues in the value chain, and additionally reporting on social and environmental risks and meeting the growing demands of regulators.
Key takeaways:
- An understanding of the informal sector and the lives of waste pickers in Asia through their lens
- The role of businesses in implementing inclusive responsible practices in their supply chains against the backdrop of stringent reporting and regulations
- Diverse and multi-stakeholder perspectives to understand the unique roles and interplay between value chain actors
- Pathways towards solutions that ensure the protection of the human rights of waste pickers
