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1Scavenger Cooperatives in Asia and Latin America
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BibTeX
@MISC{Medina_1scavengercooperatives,
author = {Martin Medina and El Colegio and Frontera Norte and Blvd Abelardo and L. Rodriguez},
title = {1Scavenger Cooperatives in Asia and Latin America},
year = {}
}
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Abstract
The informal recovery of materials from waste represents an important survival strategy for disadvantaged populations throughout the developing world. Scavengers are perceived as the poorest of the poor and marginal to mainstream economy and society. In many cases, they are subject to exploitation and discrimination by middlemen and by local and federal government policies. This paper argues that, when scavenging is supported – ending that exploitation and discrimination – it represents a perfect illustration of sustainable development that can be achieved in the Third World: jobs are created, poverty is reduced, raw material costs for industry are lowered (while improving competitiveness), resources are conserved, pollution is reduced, and the environment is protected. The paper also proposes a typology of public policies toward scavengers and analyzes recent experience on the formation of scavenger cooperatives. It also examines the use of appropriate waste management technology, and suggests ways in which scavengers could be incorporated into formal waste management programs.
Keyphrases
latin america many case formal waste management program important survival strategy federal government policy appropriate waste management technology sustainable development analyzes recent experience third world developing world scavenger cooperative raw material cost public policy perfect illustration informal recovery
