Beyond the garbage. The precariousness of waste pickers of León Guanajuato (México)

Abstract

The purpose is to compare the precarious conditions in the informal work of waste separation carried out by scavengers who belong to the municipal program of the Urban Waste Collectors Network of León, Guanajuato with those who are not yet registered. The methodology was mixed qualitative-quantitative, applying 140 questionnaires in 2023 to people who are dedicated to the activity of scavengers. The aim was to characterize the work of scavengers and to know the precarious conditions, as well as health and safety risks and uncertainty. The results show that both groups of scavengers present precarious working conditions such as: insecurity, physical risk, economic uncertainty, problems of access to health services, as well as social rejection. However, scavengers who belong to the municipal program present a slight reduction in the problems they present in their work compared to those who remain unaffiliated. It is concluded that the informal work of scavengers reproduces precarious conditions, suggesting that institutional work must promote social recognition to dignify their work, starting by modifying the public cleaning regulations and considering inclusive recycling measures to change the living conditions of people dedicated to waste recovery.