Catador de material reciclável
Catador de material reciclável or Catador for short are called workers in urban areas in Brazil who collect recyclable solids. These are often cellulose , aluminum or glass .
According to the national survey on basic sanitation technology by the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE) from 2008, around 50% of 5507 municipalities have exposed landfills, often along streams. Because there is no treatment of the garbage there, it often pollutes the soil, the water and the air, with great risks for the population.
In addition to environmental pollution , a main effect in these places is the social devaluation caused by the presence of the collectors in the garbage dumps . Both adults and children live from the commercialized sorting of recyclable materials in urban waste. The work of these people in very dubious conditions exposes them to all kinds of pollution and disease, as food is often also taken from the garbage. In addition, under these conditions, recyclable materials can only be obtained in poor quality, which can also be proven by the usually low prices for them. The catadores have to live with few social and labor rights and are excluded from the wealth that the recycling market produces. Although they should actually be in school, many children and adolescents are forced to use this work to ensure their own survival.
The catadores also work on the majority of the streets in Brazilian communities. The number of catadores varies from city to city and, without an exact estimate, there is an undeniable need for these activities in the cities, which is being promoted by the rising unemployment in the country.
Working conditions of the catadores
The work of the catadores is of great importance for society and the environment, because it collects 10 to 20% of municipal household waste. This fulfills a public task whose constitutional responsibility rests with the local authority. Yet these workers do not receive the attention they deserve from the government and society. On the contrary, they are often confused with beggars and vagabonds and experience oppression and contempt. The identity of this population group, which includes men and women from different age groups, as well as young people and adolescents, is therefore formed under definable contradicting social conditions. Because the catadores live in a state of exclusion, they only perceive their rights as citizens to a limited extent and often do not know how to demand them.
Collecting paper, cardboard or other usable materials usually takes on the workforce of the whole family, whether on the street or when storing the material. Although a survey of 11,000 people in São Paulo found that the majority of the homeless make a living from this activity, not all garbage collectors are homeless. Another group of the population who often work as catadores are the poor who live off odd jobs, government work programs, or land they own. The families whose income is the garbage collection often live in remote areas, which makes access to social facilities, schools or medical care difficult. Often the children and adolescents do not attend school on a permanent basis and do not have access to the health system to which they are legally entitled. Many of the boys and girls are malnourished and have poor health. The dwellings and barracks near garbage dumps are often the cause of accidents, and young people struggle with sexual abuse, premature pregnancy and substance abuse.
In contrast to the weak economic situation of this social class, it can be observed that the garbage generation and the waste of materials in general are increasing. According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, during the period from 1989 to 2000, the Brazilian population grew by 16% while the amount of garbage collected increased by 56%. As a side effect of an industrialized economy and aggressive marketing, packaging, disposable items and products with short lifespans contribute to the increase in the amount of waste. The alienation of society from the problems associated with the garbage generated by every city dweller is appalling in terms of waste and the value of a clean inner city. In addition to the cultural aspects, the overburdening of the technical departments of the waste disposal companies in the management of waste and the absence of forward-looking policies that involve society in finding solutions and the catadores in waste management are evident .
Groups of garbage collectors who have received help from institutions have been able to organize themselves in associations and cooperatives, thereby gaining recognition for their work from district governments and local communities. These experiences have proven to be effective alternatives to socio-economic integration because they essentially promote workers' return to citizenship by certifying their skills as professional expertise and providing adequate infrastructure that provides a sustainable financial foundation. Through this process, projects of job creation and income generation are constructed and implemented, which have the potential within the social network to protect countless livelihoods from previously drifting safely into marginalized groups.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Survey (PNSB 2008) by the Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics ( Memento of the original from April 13, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 1.4 MB)
- ↑ Table 21 ( Memento of the original from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 30 kB) of the PNSB 2008 survey.
- ^ Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística: Pesquisa Nacional de Saneamento Básico. 2008. Table 23.
Web links
- Pages of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics on the "Saneamento Básico" survey from 2008.
- National Movement of Collectors of Recyclable Materials (MNCR)
- National Association of Paper Collectors
- Association for the promotion of collectors of usable material in the center of Rio de Janeiro and associated sub-locations
- Inter-ministerial committee for the social integration of collectors of recyclable materials. Coleta Seletiva Solidária