AMMAN — Oxfam held a meeting on Monday with
representatives of non-governmental organizations and representatives of the
private and public sectors to discuss a recent study managed by
Oxfam and
compiled by LDK consultants, and purported to assess the condition of the waste
sector in Jordan, the situation of waste pickers and their important role in
recycling.
اضافة اعلان
NGO representatives were
consulted on the report and its most prominent outputs in order to help issue
recommendations that would develop the report before sending it to the
stakeholders, including public entities and some private sector institutions,
who, in turn, should come up with decisions related to developing and
regulating the work of the waste picking sector.
This study is part of the
Turning Waste into Positive Energy project funded by the (EU
Regional Trust Fund in Response to the
Syrian Crisis) and the
German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and implemented
through the German Foundation for International Cooperation in partnership with
Oxfam.
It is based on interviews
with waste pickers, scrap dealers, brokers and contractors in different
governorates of the Kingdom, as well as stakeholders from relevant ministries
and municipalities.
It also illustrates the
economic and environmental contribution of waste pickers in Jordan, especially
as they have a major role in collecting and sorting recyclable materials from
waste and providing low-cost materials that are used in local industries, as
well as their important role in protecting the environment.
According to the
study,
Amman sits atop Jordanian governorates in informal waste pickers, with
more than 3,000 pickers involved in this sector, followed by
Irbid and
Zarqa,
with some 1,500-2,000 pickers each. The study also revealed that 50 percent of
the pickers entered the sector before the age of 20, and 83 percent worked for
more than five years in the sector.
It also revealed that around
50 percent of pickers involved are aged 30 to 44, and that pickers interviewed
work six days a week, between 6 and 8 am, with about 10 percent starting before
6 am.
Abdallah Taani, project
manager at LDK consultants, told
Jordan News that “some of them
categorically rejected legislation that controls and regulates their work, and
the reason for this is the presence of legal problems, for some”, while others
prefer legislation as it would improve their income and social condition, by
including them in social security and health insurance.
Wael Safi, director of the
GIZ project in Jordan, expressed hope that informal recycling activities will
receive the attention and support they deserve.
He told
Jordan News that the activities in this sector need to be regulated through legislation and
an enabling environment through the cooperation of all parties in society,
individuals and government, and through creating a nurturing and supportive
environment.
More figures on waste pickers
Pickers in other governorates:
Madaba: 250-500
Salt: 250-500
Mafraq: 250-500
Aqaba: 250-500
Karak: 250–500
Jerash: 200-300 (especially in tourist areas)
Ajloun: 200-300 (especially in tourist areas)
Maan: 100-200
Tafileh: 100-200
- The vast majority of those involved in informal
waste picking are Jordanian men.
- Only about 70 percent of respondents have school
education.
- Over 80 percent have no access to other
financial resources.
- About 50 percent work beyond 5 pm with nearly 30
percent end their working day after 8 pm.
- 12 percent of waste pickers who took part in the
study do not have access to health care.
- 50 percent reported making between JD150 and
JD250 per month.
- 56 percent said that
health issues constitute the highest risk associated with their job.
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