Integral role of women in waste management

Women have long been at the forefront of waste collection activities, especially in developing economies where informal waste picking is prevalent. Research indicates that women are often responsible for household waste segregation and collection, contributing significantly to the initial stages of the waste management process. Moreover, many studies highlight the active involvement of women in informal recycling activities, where they play a crucial role in sorting and recycling materials, particularly paper and plastic.

Globally, women make a strong contribution to the solid waste management sector and circular economy. Both from the home front and at work as engineers, collectors, recyclers to informal waste collectors and processors. They contribute to positions such as activists, researchers, policymakers as well as higher-level managers and ministers of government.

A 2018 global online survey titled Mapping the status of women in the global waste management sector conducted by Women of Waste (WOW), an initiative led by women in the waste sector and supported by the International Solid Waste Association, revealed that women contribute massively to the global waste management sector, in a variety of roles across the waste management hierarchy, and through a diversity of organisations, even though they are not very ‘visible’ in society. 

The data was collected across 73 countries of 626 women. The majority of responses were received from upper-middle and high-income countries; however, many highly qualified and experienced women were active in low- and lower-middle-income countries.

For example, the survey found that the majority of respondents currently work in local government (30.2 per cent), followed by private waste management companies (14.4 per cent) and consulting / engineering companies (13.3 per cent). 

Moreover, women have been increasingly active in promoting waste prevention, in reuse, recycling and recovery of materials: In other words, proactive jobs and activities to help break the waste crisis. 

It was reported that women are entering the sector at various stages along their career, from young, new entrants to well-established, highly experienced women. Nearly 12.5 per cent of the respondents were in landfill management; 51.6 per cent worked in waste prevention, reuse / repair / refurbishment and recycling, this shows a change in thinking happening in the sector. 

A major chunk of the respondents currently work in the local government (30.2 per cent), followed by private waste management companies (14.4 per cent) and consulting / engineering companies (13.3 per cent).

Main area of work in countries

CP: Cleaner production

In the developing economies including India, women’s involvement in this field tends to be dominant at the grassroot levels of the waste value chain. These include collection and segregation of wastes as well as informal waste recycling. 

Even though a chunk of women in the developing economies receive low-paying jobs, these are the potential contributors of the waste management chain. A significant fraction of the workforce in the waste management sector in cities like Pune and Ambikapur that performed well in Swachh Sarvekshan, according to research done by Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment in collaboration with NITI Aayog. Women were particularly engaged in door-to-door collection and segregation, the report published in 2022 showed.  

Another study conducted by the Ocean Conservancy in Pune reported that 90 per cent of the street recycling pickers, also known as the informal workers, comprises women. Out of this, 25 per cent of them are widowed, 30 per cent were households headed by women and 8 per cent are the sole earners of the family. 

Bengaluru has women primarily participating within the waste workforce. They are called ‘pourakarmikas’, a term used for formal waste collectors and street sweepers. They earn an extra income by separating recyclables from the waste. According to Hasiru Dala, an NGO active in waste management, stated that women are not working as itinerant buyers or scrap dealers. Businesses such as aggregators and preprocessors, which are at the end of the value chain, are dominated by male registered owners. 

Sorting of the collected waste is typically a women’s task across all geographies. Men are usually considered more suitable for roles such as collection, loading and packing of materials by employers in aggregation of recyclable materials. Women are typically employed in repetitive and time-consuming tasks, while on the other hand men tend to participate more in lifting and loading and ‘heavy’ tasks. 

Indian and Vietnamese recycling processors label collection of materials as a woman’s task in contrast to the Philippines and Indonesia. However, the recycling collector profession in Indonesia is heavily dominated by men. 

It is important to note that participation of women in processing and recycling factories is also unregulated and women are engaged primarily as daily wage workers. This results in women earning half that of what men earn in the sector. 

Involvement of women in solid waste management processes in India (informal sector)

Source: The Role of Gender in Waste Management comissioned by Ocean Conservancy

Women are usually the first to notice deterioration of environmental conditions. The reason for this is that they are usually associated with the responsibility for cleanliness of their own households and for the health of the family. They observe a direct impact of the unsanitary conditions such as infectious diseases and childhood diseases, accumulating waste and lack of sanitation. 

Since they also play a role in maintenance of the living space and the health of children, they have a keen sense of civic responsibility and a desire to improve their living conditions and health situation. 

As a result, it is critical to integrate a gender perspective into decision-making and policy formulation within the waste management sector. Waste management policies must be designed to address gender-specific needs, with robust monitoring to ensure implementation on ground. Policy interventions should prioritise creating opportunities for women across various levels of the waste management value chain, starting from the grassroot levels, as well as promoting their roles as leaders and waste entrepreneurs. 

“Women’s participation in decision-making roles in the waste sector is not just about gender equality; it is also about leveraging their unique perspectives and skills for better environmental management and sustainable development,” said Aditi Ramola, Technical Director, International Solid Waste Association.

Having gender inclusion into policymaking can bring different perspectives and experiences to the table, which can lead to more comprehensive and inclusive solutions, she added. “This representation is important for breaking stereotypes and encouraging more women to pursue careers in environmental sciences and waste management.”

It is important to note that providing equal opportunities for both women and men is critical in the waste sector. Offering training opportunities, specifically for women, in fields with significant gender disparities such as entrepreneurship, finance, trade, engineering, and decision-making administrative roles, has the potential to address existing imbalances. 

Similarly, initiatives such as awareness campaigns and training programs to integrate the informal and community-based practices related to waste management in the city solid waste action plan is extremely important.

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