In a campaign against plastic pollution, an important role of anonymous heroes – eSHOP24X7

This year, on June 5, World Environment Day focuses on solutions to abolish plastic pollution.

In this, a way of promoting a justified change towards a circular economy for plastic, and in a clean future, the role of garbage collectors has been recognized whose communities their lives live in society.

Christian J Briane gets a list of schools, restaurants and shopping centers in the city of Batangas de Filipinas every day. Your work is: go to all places to collect re -valeable items, which include a lot of plastic waste. Then they bring this waste and classify and weigh it.

Christian Brriens, groups of garbage collectors -sain Hosco Landfil multiperpase co -Operativos are part of the co -operative. He says this work is challenging, but also very satisfactory.

“We know that we are contributing to the environment, not only for our own benefits, but also to other people.”

Environmental threat

Briane is one of the 2 million estimated people who earn income for their lives working, classifying and selling garbage worldwide. This waste also includes plastic, which according to experts is constantly becoming environmental threats.

In general, in developing countries, there are no formal reuse and recycling systems. There are garbage collectors, which are in the first line of efforts to deal with plastic pollution.

“Informal waste collectors play an important role in the management of plastic waste in many developing countries,” says Tonda, head of the resource branch and the UN environmental program market (UNEP).

“The success of the global struggle against plastic pollution depends on our joint commitment, so that no one is left behind and garbage collectors are included in solutions to treat plastic pollution.”

In 2024, humanity generated approximately 40 million tons of plastic waste, further increasing the crisis of plastic contamination. According to experts, this causes damage to delicate ecosystems and causes possible health risks of the contact of harmful chemicals and pollutants present in plastic such as microplastics.

According to a study, people like informal or part of a group, people such as the garbage collector, contribute to approximately 60 percent of the plastic waste collection worldwide.

But often, these garbage collectors are deprived of employment -related rights and are also devoid of facilities such as health insurance. Experts say this is a big problem for an area in which injuries or infections are common when collecting garbage.

The director of the Program of Action on Justice changes in the International Labor Organization (ILO), Mustafai Kamal Gaye says: “It is important to move towards a more sustainable future and go to the use of fundamental principles and rights over the use of garbage collectors, which includes the right to work, a safe and healthy environment.

No one is left behind in a fair change. It includes millions of people and workers who chose garbage, whose work helps return to systems cycles worldwide. “

Ideal example

Cooperative societies such as San Hosse Cico are considered an ideal example for this fair change. There are 500 members in this organization, who obtain a vacation with regular income, accident insurance and full remuneration payment when they are sick.

Briane says he is grateful for this work: “Some people may consider that our work is dirty or unpleasant, but we consider better to ignore their opinion.”

Briane had joined this cooperative group just to keep the family after her father had a heart attack. He says: “Through this work, I could build my own home. Although this house is small, I can take care of my family, my father, and I can guarantee a good education for my children.”

Many countries are considering making such laws, which can also rely the responsibility for the management of these products to those who sell plastic products in the market. In this situation, garbage collectors can play an important role in the operation of these comprehensive productive responsibility schemes.

The manager of the San Hose Seco Landfil cooperative, Sheryl Hernández, participated in a study of the circular is not selected by the PNOP, which has been created to prevent marine plastic pollution through the financing of the International Agency for Development Cooperation of Sweden. She says: “Manufacturers will eventually seek those who can work and what is the ability to work? Is it obvious that this capacity is in garbage employees.”

Alyssa Tonda de UNUMA says: “While the world seeks ways to end plastic pollution, millions of garbage collectors are coming out as a strong colleague in it. Recognizing the role of garbage collectors to achieve this goal, they will be encouraged to continue their work and support their family.”

This article was first published here.