Selected Socioeconomic Characteristics of Waste Collector Children in Dhaka City

Generally in the city areas of developing countries, children from the poor and low income families are involved in a range of risky, unhealthy, and environmentally hazardous economic activities and trades. One of these common activities concerns collecting recyclable waste form the street or landfill areas. To understand the socioeconomic characteristics of these waste collector children, this study collected data from fifty children who engaged in waste collection in the landfill of Matuail in Dhaka City, Bangladesh. The data were collected by questionnaire guide, and the samples were selected based on convenient random sampling. This study analyses the socioeconomic conditions of these waste collector children by focussing on such characteristics as their demographic profile, economic affiliation, and nature of the waste collection task. This empirical study may inform and illuminate the relevant policy makers and field activists in widening their understanding of the life and living of this vulnerable group.