Garbage collectors: Those who survive on what we throw in the trash

The garbage collector is the most important person in the cycle of the recycling production chain in places where selective garbage collection is not yet a reality, however they are not granted the social recognition or labor guarantees for the activity carried out, working in precarious situations and without adequate protection, being subject to accidents and contamination by infectious waste.

Far from the metropolitan region of Cuiabá, it is located the largest landfill in the State of Mato Grosso – Brazil. It is in this unhealthy environment that more than 200 recyclable collectors work.
To survive, men and women face a day of more than 12 hours of work in precarious conditions collecting solid waste, such as plastics, PET bottles, cardboard, glass and aluminum to sell to recycling companies.
These workers carry out a fundamental activity for the sustainable development of the planet in regions where selective collection is not yet a reality, as, an addition to taking advantage of this waste, organizing it through sustainable and appropriate disposal, they generate income by integrating environmental aspects, social and economic transforming these workers into environmental agents.
Helping in the process of social valorization of these citizens is another step towards building a fairer society and a cleaner environment. In this sense, environmental education can contribute to reducing suffering and promoting pride in being an environmental agent.