Waste pickers of recyclable materials: analysis of the socioeconomic profile in the city of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

Abstract In Brazil, the selective material collection costs 4.6 times than the conventional collection, and only 22% of Brazilian municipalities practice selective collection. Waste pickers have been participating in solid waste management systems in Brazilian cities for more than four decades. The activities of waste pickers contribute to increased recycling to reduce waste and help the environment. This qualitative, deductive, and exploratory study aims to delineate a socioeconomic profile of the recyclable waste collector operating in the Salvador city Bahia. It presents the Salvador’s waste pickers profile. Concludes that cooperative organizations enable their workers to sell recyclable materials at higher prices, providing higher average income than the street waste pickers.