Waste material recycling: the horrors of informal waste material picking in Zimbabwe

Purpose The transition from a linear to a circular economy has created unintended employment opportunities for marginalised communities in various developing countries. Informal waste picking, a prevalent occupation among recent migrants and individuals with limited education, highlights the complexities of informal employment. The phenomenon underscores the challenges faced by socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals in securing formal employment. Such individuals are confronted with a multiplicity of challenges that are delved into in the current study. Therefore, this study aims to examine the challenges faced by informal waste material pickers beyond what is already documented in the extant literature. Design/methodology/approach The study used a sample of 42 (42) informal waste material pickers. The participants were drawn from several dumpsites in the city of Harare. Semi-structured interviews were conducted on the respondents within their workplace. The data was analysed thematically. Findings The results revealed that informal waste material pickers are faced with ritualistic sexual abuses, scary encounters, territorial fights and are subjected to being sanctuaries for criminals. Research limitations/implications The study highlights the challenges faced by informal waste pickers that need to be addressed by policymakers to bring sanity to the recycling efforts and municipal waste management systems. The study recommends that the public policymakers should look after the welfare of the informal waste material pickers, considering that they have a crucial role in sustaining the circular economy. Originality/value The study reveals the horrors faced by informal waste material pickers as the key contributors to the circular economy through providing secondary material for recycling.