By Melisa Mong’ina
Waste Pickers play a crucial role in recycling and managing waste, yet their rights and health frequently go unprotected.
In the heart of Dandora, a bustling area in Nairobi, these individuals navigate the harsh realities of their environment, striving to make ends meet amidst the challenging conditions around them.
Plastic pollution has been the most common pollutant in Kenya, particularly in urban areas like Dandora, where waste management systems are often overwhelmed. As one of the most common pollutants, plastic waste clogs drains, pollutes waterways, and contributes to unsightly littering. This pollution not only poses severe threats to human health but also significantly impacts climate change.
Nairobi Recyclable Waste Welfare Association chairperson Solomon Njoroge explained the critical role the association plays in safeguarding the welfare and rights of waste pickers.
The association advocates for fair and consistent prices for recyclables and addresses health issues, particularly ensuring children of waste pickers are not exposed to the dangers of landfill.
“It’s an association that safeguards the welfare and rights of the waste pickers. We advocate across various dimensions. When it comes to prices, we push for fair and consistent prices, while addressing health issues, making sure that the children are kept away from the landfill,” stated Njoroge.
Njoroge noted that their main challenge is health issues due to lack of protective gear for waste pickers. He also highlighted the issue of price fluctuations, dictated by a few individuals. When prices drop waste pickers are notified but when they rise no one informs them.
“The common challenges we face are the health issues because the waste pickers often work without protective gear, such as gloves, boots, and overalls. When it comes to the selling recyclables, prices are dictated by a few, and the price keeps changing. Whenever the price drop, they say, and when it rises, we are kept in the dark. These are some of the challenges,” he shared.
In response to the injuries, the association provides basic first aid and refers patients to hospitals or clinics for further treatment. He further reflected on the high rates of illness among people living near the dump site.
“Our association can only offer first aid. After treating an injured person at the dump site, we refer them to a hospital or we take them to the nearest clinic,” explained Njoroge.
The association was formalized in 2021 and received a certificate with the help of Center for Environment Justice and Development (CEJAD). Njoroge noted that networking with other groups and organizations has improved the association’s capacity and mindset.
“Many people often suffer from ailments but they don’t share with others due to poverty. CEJAD helped us to formalise our operations in 2021, giving us the certificate we lacked. Through this support, and networking with other groups and organisations, we have greatly improved our capacity and mindset,” noted Njoroge.
When plastics are burned to dispose of them, they release toxic fumes that can exacerbate existing respiratory conditions and contribute to overall air quality degradation. In Kenya, women represent a substantial number of between 40% – 50% of waste pickers in urban areas.
Joyce Wangari, a waste picker in the Dandora dump site, expressed the particular challenges faced by women, particularly the health impacts from smoke produced by burning plastics.
“Women suffer a lot in Dandora due to the smoke from the burnt plastics. They find it difficult to breathe and can sometimes lead to suffocation,” said Wangari.
She advocated for a halt to the production of single-use plastics if there is no market for them and urged leaders to champion policies that protect informal workers.
“For single-use plastics, they should stop producing it if there’s no market. African leaders must ensure that a just transition for waste pickers is captured in the treaty. This includes access to safe, dignified, and regulated employment, skill development, fair wages, and social protections,” urged Wangari.
CSOs Call for Reduction of Primary Plastics Production and Elimination of Hazardous Chemicals in Plastics at INC-5.
Griffins Ochieng, Executive Director of CEJAD emphasized the need for a global agreement to reduce plastic production, highlighting the importance of setting a global target. He added that the treaty should include mandatory reporting requirements to monitor the effectiveness of the reduction targets and countries producing plastics should report on their production levels to ensure transparency and accountability.
“To start on production, we are calling for a reduction of plastics, which are the polymers,” said Ochieng. “We are also seeking a global target where there is going to be a global agreement as an ambition to reduce plastic production. It also has to set some mandatory reporting requirements as obligations, so that there will be a way to monitor the effectiveness of this treaty in terms of countries that are producing and will be able to report on the production levels of their country.”
He urged the elimination of toxic chemicals in the production of plastics and the need for provisions that will regulate health concerns throughout the entire life cycle of plastics, from production to disposal, to protecting public health and the environment.
“The second crucial element is looking at the health aspects throughout the life cycle of clusters. There is evidence around the impact of the health concerns around the chemical attitudes, we want the treaty to regulate by eliminating toxic chemicals in the production of clusters,” said Ochieng.
Griffins highlighted the importance of solidarity among African nations, urging African leaders to join forces and demand a treaty that would eliminate hazardous chemicals.
“African countries as net importers bear the brunt of plastic pollution. It’s time for African leaders to stand united and demand a treaty that prioritizes elimination of hazardous chemicals, ensures transparency, and includes mechanisms for, labeling, tracking, monitoring, and data-sharing,” said
Ochieng.
Dorothy Otieno, Program Officer at CEJAD, echoed the need for reducing plastic production, highlighting the importance of establishing clear reduction targets.
“We are calling for reductions in plastic production. We also seek clear targets for this reduction, needing quantifiable measures in terms of time and numbers to understand how much we will reduce,”explained Dorothy.
According to Dr. Ayub Macharia, Director of Enforcement – NEMA, possessing a polythene bag could lead to severe penalties, including imprisonment.
“If you are found with a polythene bag, you will face imprisonment for a term of one to four years or a fine ranging from two to four million Kenya shillings,” said Dr. Macharia.
