The concept of a Living Income for the Informal Waste Sector brings attention to the often undervalued role of informal waste pickers in waste management systems and advocates for enhancements to their living and working conditions. It proposes the adoption of a “living income” framework, employing the Anker methodology to assess the earnings of waste pickers. By examining the current incomes of informal waste pickers in Brazil, Ghana, and India against locally defined standards of decent living, the report underscores the necessity for policy adjustments to bridge this gap.
Recommendations put forth in the report include integrating explicit provisions within the Global Plastics Treaty concerning waste management policies and extended producer responsibility, aimed at upholding the rights and livelihoods of informal waste workers. Moreover, it calls upon governments to formally recognize informal waste picking, ensure access to public services, and involve waste pickers in the policymaking process.
Additionally, the report introduces the Fair Circularity Initiative and its Principles, which are designed to protect the human rights of informal waste sector workers. It appeals to companies and stakeholders to unite in supporting waste pickers through a fair transition.