Sustainability And Inclusion: Women Waste Workers At The Heart Of India’s Recycling Economy

Mahashweta Mukherjee

In India, where over 62 million tons of municipal waste is generated annually, a silent workforce toils to keep our cities clean. These are the informal waste workers—men and women who painstakingly collect, segregate, and recycle waste. Among them, women play an indispensable yet invisible role. Despite their significant contributions to India’s recycling economy, women waste workers remain marginalized, unrecognized, and vulnerable to exploitation.

As part of my research for the IMPRI Public Policy Course, I delved into the lives of these women—walking through landfill sites, speaking with workers, and understanding the socio-economic realities they face daily. What I found was a paradox: these women are critical to sustainability efforts, yet they lack fundamental rights, fair wages, and social protection.

The Research Journey: Unveiling the Human Stories

Through my research, I encountered women who have spent decades picking waste, supporting families with meager earnings, and battling societal discrimination. Their stories reveal a cycle of poverty, gender disparity, and systemic neglect. The research uncovered five major challenges they face:

Economic Exploitation – Women waste workers earn significantly less than men, with intermediaries taking a large share of their income (Chintan, 2021).
Health Hazards – Prolonged exposure to toxic waste without protective gear results in severe respiratory and skin diseases (UNDP, 2022).
Caste and Gender Discrimination – Many waste workers belong to marginalized communities, making them targets of social exclusion (Global Alliance of Waste Pickers, 2020).
Sexual Harassment and Violence – Women waste workers frequently report harassment by local authorities, community members, and even male counterparts, yet they lack legal recourse (Human Rights Watch, 2019).
Lack of Policy Inclusion – Despite their indispensable role, most waste management policies fail to provide them with formal employment rights or financial security (SWaCH, 2018).

Sunita’s Story: A Struggle for Dignity and Recognition

Sunita, 40, has been living in Delhi for the last 25 years. Her parents, who worked as porters, were too poor to send her to school, and so, she began working as a waste picker when she was 11 years old. She works between 6 am and 12.30 pm collecting waste from a radius of 2-3 km. She earns a meager sum of Rs. 40-60/- per day, simply not enough to sustain a family of eight.

She works as a domestic help on some days making a little extra money whenever she can, but it still isn’t enough and is often forced to borrow money from a local money lender. She pays interest of Rs. 100/- every month for every Rs. 1000/- that she borrows. Her family spends more than Rs. 50/- on food every day; Rs. 30/- just on an injection (vaccine) every five months. If she or her children fall ill, the costs are separate. There is no permanent toilet in sight, just a make-shift arrangement that she and her family use. Due to the unavailability of public taps, Sunita draws water from some nearby apartments.

Sunita is hoping that the housing scheme initiated will materialize soon, and she and her family can lead a normal life. She has an ambition of operating in a more organized system and advocates women waste workers’ upliftment in the waste management system. For this reason, she joined the local waste pickers association named “Shehri Mahila Kamgar Union.” The association is a female-centric NGO that helps uplift the women in the informal sector through capacity building, advocating their rights, and helping overcome societal harassment. According to Sunita, being a member of the waste picker association has helped and supported her with:

Building capacity among girls and women involved in the manual sorting of municipal household waste.
Learning skills to empower future mothers.
Empowering adolescents and adults, especially girls, to participate in community and society.
Establishing safe workplaces for women and addressing harassment issues.

Findings: A Need for Systemic Change

Women waste workers are more than just laborers—they are environmental stewards. Their work in recycling and waste diversion directly supports climate action and the circular economy. Yet, without institutional support, they remain trapped in informality. Policies such as the Solid Waste Management Rules (2016) acknowledge waste pickers but lack gender-specific interventions (Government of India, 2016). Initiatives like the SWaCH cooperative in Pune and Hasiru Dala in Bengaluru show how community-led programs can empower women waste workers with better wages, safety equipment, and social security (SWaCH, 2018; Hasiru Dala, 2021).

Recommendations: Towards Recognition and Empowerment

Formalization and Legal Protection – Women waste workers must be legally recognized as part of the waste management sector (ILO, 2019).
Fair Wages and Direct Market Access – Bypassing intermediaries can ensure they receive fair compensation for their work (Chintan, 2021).
Health and Safety Initiatives – Government-backed healthcare and protective gear provisions are critical (UNDP, 2022).
Sexual Harassment Prevention Measures – Stronger legal frameworks and reporting mechanisms must be established to safeguard women workers from harassment (Human Rights Watch, 2019).
Skill Development and Alternative Livelihoods – Training programs can provide women with opportunities beyond hazardous waste work (Global Alliance of Waste Pickers, 2020).

The Road Ahead

My research journey has reinforced the need for a more inclusive waste management system—one that acknowledges and uplifts women waste workers. Their contribution to sustainability is invaluable, and it is time for policy frameworks to reflect this reality.

As we advocate for a cleaner, greener future, we must ensure that those at the forefront of waste recycling are not left behind. Recognizing, protecting, and empowering women waste workers is not just a matter of justice—it is a crucial step toward sustainable development.

Let’s talk solutions. Let’s bring these women into the conversation!

References

Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group. (2021). Waste pickers and their economic contributions. Link
Global Alliance of Waste Pickers. (2020). Gender and waste work. Link
Government of India. (2016). Solid Waste Management Rules. Link
Hasiru Dala. (2021). Empowering informal waste workers. Link
Human Rights Watch. (2019). Invisible victims: Women waste workers and sexual harassment. Link
International Labour Organization (ILO). (2019). Decent work for waste pickers. Link
SWaCH Cooperative. (2018). The impact of waste picker cooperatives. Link
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). (2022). Health risks among informal waste workers. Link