Can Beijing’s informal waste recycling sector survive amidst worsening circumstances?

Steuer, Benjamin; Ramusch, Roland; Salhofer, Stefan

doi:10.1016/j.resconrec.2017.09.026

Cited by 48 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…In most cities of the developing countries, thousands of people are depending on the collection of recyclable materials for their livelihoods [1], and it is reported that up to 2% of the population in Asian and Latin American cities lives on scavenging income [2]. Gaza Strip is the largest area under siege in the world.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of Occupational Health and Safety among Scavengers in Gaza Strip, Palestine

Al‐Khatib

Al-Sari²,

Kontogianni

2020

Journal of Environmental and Public Health

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is study deals with the occupational health and safety of valuable and recyclable waste collectors (called scavengers) in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. e analytical descriptive approach was used in this study to achieve this goal. Waste pickers in the study area are working informally at existing dumpsites, solid waste transfer stations, landfills, and community streets' bins areas. A sample of 301 scavengers was surveyed filling a structured questionnaire designed for this purpose, during individual interviews. In addition, interviews with key Palestinian officials in the Gaza Strip have been conducted to provide accurate data and comprehensive information regarding waste pickers activities. e results showed that the occupational health and safety of the waste pickers is in constant deterioration mainly due to the informal nature of their work. e waste pickers are reportedly suffering in the current situation and the majority has no access to potable water, sanitation, and hygienically appropriate place to sleep and have meals. None of them has ever received occupational health and safety training. e study recommends that local decision makers should uptake short-term and long-term measures in waste management sector both aiming at improving this vulnerable social group's health and safety life status.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of Occupational Health and Safety among Scavengers in Gaza Strip, Palestine

Al‐Khatib

Al-Sari²,

Kontogianni

2020

Journal of Environmental and Public Health

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“…The present paper summarizes the result of several research projects: individual field investigations by Mr Steuer and a set of preceding publications of the authors (Linzner and Salhofer, 2014;Steuer et al, 2015;Steuer, 2016;Schulz and Steuer, 2017;Steuer et al, 2017;Steuer et al, 2018). The findings presented were primarily collected in the cities of Beijing and Guangzhou and supplemented by investigations in Shenzhen, Shanghai, Wuhan, Guiyu and the wider Guangdong area.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 86%

“…These network-like connected markets and TPs have further served as reference points for our observations and interviews, so as to adequately capture the transaction intensity of waste recyclables by the IRS. In regard to waste streams, we primarily focussed on WEEE and recyclables (paper, cardboard, plastics, met-FIGURE 1: Annual growth rates for MSW and WEEE in urban China (Steuer et al, 2018). als, wood), because it is only these fractions that the IRS is interested in given their economic value.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In our 2016 research project we went one step further and juxtaposed the quantities of recyclables generated at the household level with those collected by the IRS within one sub-district of urban Beijing. Based on interviews and waste quantity documentation of generators and collectors, it was revealed that the informal sector achieves a recovery rate for recyclables of around 90% (Steuer et al, 2018). However, here it has to be kept in mind that we only surveyed one of 22 sub-districts that are subordinated to the district of Haidian.…”

Section: Size Collection Quantities and Income Levels Of The Irsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Is There a Future for the Informal Recycling Sector in Urban China?

2018

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This article constitutes a comprehensive overview that summarises first-hand research findings obtained by the authors through scientific engagement with the informal recycling sector (IRS) in mainland China over the past six years. During this research period, especially between 2013 and 2016, we found several indications that the working environment of informal stakeholders in urban China was worsening. Among these challenges the IRS faces, two are especially noteworthy-a decline in profits and increasing regulatory pressure from the government. In our analysis we primarily focus on the segment of the IRS that deals with collection and pre-processing (sorting, separating, cleaning, bulking, refurbishment, material extraction) of recyclables and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) in urban China. Our results indicate that despite their strong prevalence in this domain, informal actors are increasingly subjected to falling profit margins and regulatory pressure. However our results also shows that the IRS has in the past responded to both challenges rather effectively and thus may be able to maintain its presence in urban Chinese Waste Management (WM).

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“…Intelligent tools are being applied in waste management to formulate a new UM collection model: internet+ collection (Sun et al, 2018;. Meanwhile, the informal 115 collection is very likely to vanish in the future due to various social, technological and economic reasons (Steuer et al, 2018). This will pose a threat to the present collection model in Jieshou and affect the sustainability of its whole UM industry.…”

Section: Challenges and Options For Jieshou Towards A Sustainable Um mentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainable urban mining：the case of China

Xue¹

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTSThis Ph.D. journey has been the most inspired part of my life. It could not have been accomplished without support from many colleagues and friends, particularly my supervisor Prof. Hans Bressers at the University of Twente and Prof. Wen Zongguo at Tsinghua University.My special thanks, firstly, go to Hans. Changes in my life and work made me take longer than others to finish this Ph.D. program, but Hans has always been there ready to supervise me and offer advice. He never turned me down whenever and whatever actions I proposed for the study, and always he offered me generous help. He was like a lighthouse during my long and hard Ph.D. voyage. He taught me the spirit of "never give up" in a silent, but warm and firm way. This is the good fortune I will benefit from for life.Thank you, Hans, my doctor-father! Also, my sincere thanks go to Mrs. Mieke Bressers for her support.Also, I offer my special thanks to Prof Wen. Most works of this study were done at Tsinghua University, with the kind and full financial support and day-to-day guidance from Prof Wen. Working with Wen is a treasured experience for me. He has taught me all his academic skills without any reservation, but also he showed me the intelligence, diligence, earnest and self-disciplined character of being a Tsinghua professor. I felt honored to have had the opportunity to work with a top scholar in China. The Tsinghua II spirit you taught me benefits my life. Thank you, Prof. Wen, my life long teacher, and friend. I would like to thank CSTM colleagues for your kind help. Barbera van Dalm-Grobben, thank you for the endless efforts helping with all the organization work for finalizing and defending. Bryan Spooner, thank you for your help with English editing and always the prompt response. Also, I want to thank many other colleagues who have helped me during my stay and my coming visit for the defense of this final Ph.D. dissertation. I would like to thank colleagues at the Circular Economy Research Center of Tsinghua University for all those unforgettable moments of team work, achievement, day and night report writing together, exchange of research skills, and sharing of our life stories.

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Can Beijing’s informal waste recycling sector survive amidst worsening circumstances?

Cited by 48 publications

References 22 publications

Assessment of Occupational Health and Safety among Scavengers in Gaza Strip, Palestine

Assessment of Occupational Health and Safety among Scavengers in Gaza Strip, Palestine

Is There a Future for the Informal Recycling Sector in Urban China?

Sustainable urban mining：the case of China

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Can Beijing’s informal waste recycling sector survive amidst worsening circumstances?

Cited by 48 publications

References 22 publications

Assessment of Occupational Health and Safety among Scavengers in Gaza Strip, Palestine

Assessment of Occupational Health and Safety among Scavengers in Gaza Strip, Palestine

Is There a Future for the Informal Recycling Sector in Urban China?

Sustainable urban mining&#65306;the case of China

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Resources

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Sustainable urban mining：the case of China