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Pros and cons of the formation of waste-pickers’ cooperatives: a comparison between Brazil and Indonesia

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  • Freek Colombijn

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

  • Martina Morbidini

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

Abstract

Informal waste-pickers can contribute to municipal solid waste management by significantly reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfills or lies unattended in streets and watercourses, and they can recover important resources. We want to build on recent studies on the role of informal waste-pickers by highlighting one particular aspect: the degree waste-pickers are organized into cooperatives. Stimulated by the paradox that, despite the apparent advantages of waste-picker cooperatives, not all waste-pickers in the cities are members of a cooperative, we have made a comparative study of waste-picking in Belo Horizonte (Brazil) and Surabaya (Indonesia). We focus on three aspects: waste as an (economic) resource, the low social status of waste-pickers, and their role in urban solid waste management. We shall argue that not only do cooperatives have positive effects on waste-picking but there are also negative consequences.

Suggested Citation

  • Freek Colombijn & Martina Morbidini, 2017. "Pros and cons of the formation of waste-pickers’ cooperatives: a comparison between Brazil and Indonesia," DECISION: Official Journal of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Springer;Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, vol. 44(2), pages 91-101, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:decisn:v:44:y:2017:i:2:d:10.1007_s40622-017-0149-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s40622-017-0149-5
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Peter Nas & Rivke Jaffe, 2004. "Informal Waste Management," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 6(3), pages 337-353, September.
    2. Martin Medina, 2010. "Solid Wastes, Poverty and the Environment in Developing Country Cities: Challenges and Opportunities," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2010-023, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
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    Cited by:

    1. Daniel Baratieri Valente & Ricardo César da Silva Guabiroba & Marco Antonio Conejero & Marcelino Aurélio Vieira Silva & Aldara da Silva César, 2021. "Economic analysis of waste electrical and electronic equipment management: a study involving recycling cooperatives in Brazil," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(12), pages 17628-17649, December.
    2. Xavier, Lúcia Helena & Giese, Ellen Cristine & Ribeiro-Duthie, Ana Cristina & Lins, Fernando Antonio Freitas, 2021. "Sustainability and the circular economy: A theoretical approach focused on e-waste urban mining," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    3. Cidrick Kasinja & Elizabeth Tilley, 2018. "Formalization of Informal Waste Pickers’ Cooperatives in Blantyre, Malawi: A Feasibility Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-17, April.

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