International Alliance of Waste Pickers

A silent workforce tirelessly sorts, collects, and recycles what society discards. Waste pickers—often overlooked and unrecognized—play a critical role in Tanzania’s waste management system. They recover valuable recyclables, reduce landfill waste, and contribute to the circular economy. Yet, their work remains informal, leaving them vulnerable to economic insecurity, health risks, and social exclusion. To commemorate International Waste Pickers Day, the Waste Pickers Summit 2025 was organized by the Tanzania Waste Pickers Association (TAWAPA) in collaboration with the International Alliance of Waste Pickers (IAWP),?Nipe Fagio, and?TakaNiAjira Foundation. The summit theme was?“Strengthening Leadership and Capacity Building for Waste Pickers Organizations in Tanzania”. The main objectives of this summit were to train TAWAPA leaders and waste picker CBOs on leadership, advocacy, financial management, and organizational sustainability. Providing a platform to exchange best practices, challenges, and experiences in waste management. The summit facilitated discussions on policies affecting waste pickers and advocated for their formal recognition. The stakeholders’ meeting was championed by the International Alliance of Waste Pickers (IAWP) delegation that included Rachel Muturi from Kenya, Maddie Koena from South Africa, and Johnson Doe from Ghana. A powerful discussion was conducted with key stakeholders, government officials, and Waste Picker leaders to exchange insights on the future of Waste Pickers in Tanzania, policy inclusion, economic empowerment, and sustainable Waste Management solutions. In the long run, formalizing waste pickers is not just an environmental necessity; it is a social justice issue. As Tanzania moves towards a?zero-waste?future, it is time to ensure that the people at the heart of waste management, “Waste Pickers,” are not left behind. … #WastePickersSummit2025?#LetsValueWastePickers?#WastePickers?#Tanzania?#WasteHeroes?#ValueWastePickersTZ?#TambuaJengaThamini?#SikuYaWaokotaTaka?

?? Today and always, we stand in solidarity with waste pickers around the world who face violence and harassment ? ?? As waste pickers around the globe commemorate International Waste Pickers Day today, workers in Senegal and Italy suffered catastrophic losses when police evicted them from their workplaces. In Canada, workers continue to struggle for decent work under the new extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation. “The International Alliance of Waste Pickers stands in solidarity with courageous waste pickers who face daily violence on dumpsites and in streets, and who endure displacement from their workplaces without viable alternatives” said Severino Lima CATADOR-Brasil Presidente IAWP Lima Jr, President of the International Alliance of Waste Pickers. He continues: "As governments close dumpsites, privatize waste collection and enact circular economy policies without engaging us, waste pickers only grow in number while our economic piece of the pie shrinks. Local and national governments must recognize our rights, and guarantee a just transition for waste pickers.” Read our complete statement: https://bit.ly/41lC5Qf . . . #WastePickersDay #WastePickers #Mbeubeuss

We, the leadership of the International Alliance of Waste Pickers— Severino Lima CATADOR-Brasil Presidente IAWP Lima Jr (President), Sushila Sable (Vice President), and Maditlhare Koena (Treasurer)—extend warm greetings on this day of unity and remembrance. International Waste Pickers Day marks a crucial moment for us. We gather on this day to rally around the plastics treaty. This treaty must recognize our rights in international law, reduce plastic pollution, and guarantee a just transition for waste pickers. Our vital work in material recovery, recycling, and reuse actively combat plastic pollution and address climate change. A treaty with mandatory just transition provisions will uplift over 40 million waste pickers worldwide, secure our livelihoods, and affirm our essential role in safeguarding our planet. We call on governments to finalize this treaty without delay, and we urge every waste picker to advocate for a future that respects our contributions. We honour the memories of our comrades who tragically lost their lives in Colombia on March 1. We stand in solidarity with the courageous waste pickers who face violence daily on dumpsites and streets and with those in Dakar who are enduring displacement from their workplace without viable alternatives. Continued on the link below: https://lnkd.in/dgeG4nVE #JustTransition #PlasticsTreaty #WastepickersDay WIEGO - Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing Self Employed Women's Association FACCyR Federación Argentina de Recicladores SWaCH Coop Chintan (Environmental Research and Action Group) Hasiru Dala Kashtakari Panchayat Barbra (Barbie) Weber John Chweya Kenya National Waste Pickers Welfare Association Pietro Luppi Stree Mukti Sanghatana (Women's Liberation Organization) Silvio Ruiz Grisales UN Environment Programme Plastic Solutions Fund Ford Foundation African Reclaimers Organisation (ARO)

We have written to Intergovernmental Negotiations Committee (INC)- Bureau to ensure meaningful participation of waste pickers in the plastics treaty process and ensure it is organised in a place with easy visas and affordable accommodation. The letter is published on the INC website Observer page: https://lnkd.in/d_qCwPzf The link for the letter: https://lnkd.in/dnH6kBci UN Environment Programme Break Free From Plastic Plastic Solutions Fund Just Transition Alliance GAIA (Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives) #PlasticsTreaty #JustTransition

?? *Job Opportunity: Communication Manager* ?? *International Alliance of Waste Pickers* We are hiring a Communication Manager to support our global movement of waste pickers. If you are passionate about communication, organising, campaigns, and advocacy, this is your chance to make a difference! ?? Application Deadline: 31st January 2025 ?? For more details and to apply, click here: https://lnkd.in/dKU7c_9q Spread the word! ?? Severino Lima CATADOR-Brasil Presidente IAWP Lima Jr Barbra (Barbie) Weber John Chweya Pietro Luppi Grambangla Unnayan Committee WIEGO - Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing HomeNet International International Trade Union Confederation - ITUC International Domestic Workers Federation GAIA (Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives) SWaCH Coop Hasiru Dala FACCyR Federación Argentina de Recicladores

Waste Pickers' participation in the 5th round of the Plastics Treaty negotiations makes headlines in India. https://lnkd.in/dBDk4Gfb #JustTransition #PlasticsTreaty #WastePickers UN Environment Programme Tearfund WIEGO - Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing GAIA (Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives) Plastic Solutions Fund

Just yesterday, early in the morning, the 5th round of plastics treaty negotiations concluded with significant progress and a few steps back. The majority of member states expressed a strong desire for a mandatory provision for the just transition of waste pickers. However, this has regrettably become a voluntary provision in the new text for the next round of negotiations. This backward movement is deeply concerning. Justice for the most vulnerable, especially waste pickers who tirelessly reduce plastic pollution, must not be left to the whims of individual governments; it requires our collective commitment mandated in the treaty. We urge member states who have championed the cause of waste pickers to remain vigilant and ensure the following in the next round of negotiations: ? A mandatory provision of Just Transition for waste pickers. ? Mandatory funding to support this just transition. ? A strong treaty that addresses the entire life cycle of plastic rather than a legal instrument limited to dealing with only discarded single-use straws, forks, knives, and plates. Throughout the negotiations, waste pickers engaged with representatives from many member states, including Canada, the Russian Federation, Brazil, Italy, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, India, Pakistan, Norway, Colombia, United States, Uruguay, South Africa, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Philippines, Chile, Honduras, Panama, Türkiye, and Kenya, all of whom pledged their support for the inclusion of a just transition for waste pickers in the treaty. We call upon all of them and others who have been by our side to stay vigilant and committed to the cause of waste pickers and ensure that it benefits more than 34 million waste pickers and their governments who have high hopes for a better life and a cleaner planet. #Wastepickers #Justtransition #PlasticsTreaty WIEGO - Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing Tearfund GAIA (Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives) Just Transition Alliance Hasiru Dala SWaCH Coop FACCyR Federación Argentina de Recicladores Kenya National Waste Pickers Welfare Association Break Free From Plastic Norad - Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation Plastic Solutions Fund

Let's talk about the elephant in the room ... Plastics are not only a WASTE problem? During INC 5, we asked people to write postcards to those who need to hear this ?? We also prepared useful materials for countries and negotiators to use ?? 1. Discussion Paper: "Bridging The Gap" Designing Extended Producer Responsibility Frameworks to Accommodate and Advance Waste Pickers in the Global South ?? https://lnkd.in/gcnbN966 2. Discussion Paper: "Integrating The Informal Sector for a Stronger Repair Economy" ?? https://lnkd.in/g-mgNpuU 3. "Increasing the visibility of the informal waste sector as part of a pathway towards a Just Transition" ?? https://lnkd.in/gQD-hWrc 4. Country specific study: "Integrating and strengthening policies and actions-Addressing biodiversity conservation and plastic pollution in Sri Lanka" ?? https://lnkd.in/gEjsQRWV UN Environment Programme International Alliance of Waste Pickers IUCN Central Environmental Authority Thank you for writing a postcard during INC-5 ?? Erika Hughes, University of Portsmouth Aeshnina Azzahra Aqilani, River Warrior Indonesia Muhammad Jamyu,?Community Action Against Plastic Waste Swati Singh Sambyal (she/her) Stephanie Lavelle Lars Stordal Elena van Doorn Thomas Maes Maria Dalby

Continuamos en #India, como delegados de la Asociación Nacional de Recicladores de Colombia ANR Colombia,?representando también a la International Alliance of Waste Pickers. En el marco del encuentro propiaciado por la International Cooperative Alliance,?fuimos invitados junto con WIEGO - Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing y la UTEP de Argentina a la Cena Solidaria de la Federación de Cooperativas SEWA Cooperative Federation, para celebrar el espíritu de cooperación y colaboración de nuestras organizaciones. Inmensa y profundamente agradecidos y agradecidas. #Coops #Namasté Federico Parra Confecoop Antioquia

?? "We waste pickers prefer to avoid market-based mechanisms for addressing plastic pollution, as often such mechanisms privilege other stakeholders over waste pickers." – Indumanthi, International Alliance of Waste Pickers ?? As #INC5 negotiations near the finish line, waste pickers and environmental justice advocates urge nations to reject plastic credits and bonds in financing commitments. These market-based solutions risk sidelining the very workers who are at the forefront of tackling the plastic crisis every day. Let’s prioritize equitable solutions that uplift waste pickers and ensure justice for all. ? #BreakFreeFromPlastic#INC5 #LessPlasticMoreLife?