In Bogota, Colombia, dozens of waste pickers gathered in Bolivar Square on Tuesday with around 15 tons of recyclable goods to protest declining income and harsher working conditions. These scavengers collect trash from various sources and sell it to local recycling plants. The demonstration, organized by 14 waste picker associations, highlighted the challenges faced by approximately 20,000 scavengers in Bogota who work tirelessly collecting items such as plastic bottles, scrap metal, and cardboard boxes. The waste pickers expressed their desire for fair compensation for the materials they collect in order to sustain their livelihoods and prevent landfill saturation.
Nohra Padilla, the president of Colombia’s National Association of Waste Pickers, emphasized the crucial role waste pickers play in waste management and called for recognition of their contributions. Most waste pickers in Colombia work independently, pulling heavy carts and gathering recyclable items overlooked by garbage trucks. The income of these individuals largely depends on the quantity of materials they can sell to recycling plants through local associations.
Jorge Ospina, president of the ARAUS waste pickers association, voiced concerns over declining prices for recyclable materials, attributing the drop to factors like imports of fresh plastic. He underscored the need for government regulation to stabilize prices and ensure the sustainability of waste picker livelihoods. The constitution of Colombia protects waste pickers, prioritizing their role in waste management over large contractors. However, fluctuating prices and increasing competition, including from Venezuelan migrants, pose additional challenges for waste pickers in Colombia who often earn less than the national minimum wage.
