Report on health related issues of informal sector involvement in solid waste management Imprint The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH was formed on 1 January 2011. It brings together the long-standing expertise of DED, GTZ and InWEnt. For further information, go to www.giz.de. This publication presents former GTZ activities; due to the change of the company‘s name, these will be referred to in the following as GIZ activities. Published by: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH Postfach 5180 65726 Eschborn / Germany T +49 61 96 79-0 F +49 61 96 79-11 15 E [email protected] I www.giz.de/recycling-partnerships Sector Project Recycling Partnerships (Förderung armutsorientierter und umweltverträglicher Kreislaufwirtschaft-Konzepte) Responsible: Sandra Spies, GIZ Author: Susy Lobo Ugalde/Asociación Centroamericana para la Economía, la Salud y el Ambiente (ACEPESA), with contributions from Sofía García Cortés (GIZ) Contact person at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development: Franz Marré Eschborn, January 2011 Table of Contents Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................... 3 Abbreviations ................................................................................................................................ 5 Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................... 6 Part 1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 8 Part 2. Methodology .................................................................................................................... 9 2.1. Defining the population to be studied ................................................................... 9 2.2. Methodological Process ......................................................................................... 9 2.3. Selection of the population to be interviewed .................................................... 11 Part 3. Theoretical Framework .................................................................................................. 15 3.1. Concept of ISWM ................................................................................................. 15 3.2. Phases of Integrated Solid Waste Management .................................................. 15 3.3. Concept of Working Conditions and Environment .............................................. 16 Part 4. General Characteristics of the Studied Population per Country. ................................... 18 4.1. General characteristics......................................................................................... 18 4.2. Work Experience .................................................................................................. 19 Part 5. Health and occupational hazard aspects........................................................................ 20 5.1. Perception of the state of health ......................................................................... 20 5.2. The case of those working at solid waste disposal sites ...................................... 20 5.3. The case of those working in the streets recovering recyclable material ........... 25 5.4. The case of those working in micro and small enterprises for the recovery of recyclable material........................................................................................... 29 Part 6. Results of Group Interviews and Best Practice .............................................................. 34 6.1. The Colombian Case ............................................................................................. 34 6.2. The Nicaraguan Case ............................................................................................ 37 6.3. The Costa Rican Case ........................................................................................... 40 6.4. Best Practices ....................................................................................................... 41 Part 7. Technical Considerations and Recommendations ......................................................... 42 Part 8. Appendices ..................................................................................................................... 44 8.1. List of respondents who participated in group interviews .................................. 44 8.2. Instruments .......................................................................................................... 49 8.3. Details of the Population Surveyed in Nicaragua ................................................ 57 8.4. Details of the Population Surveyed in Costa Rica ................................................ 65 8.5. Some general comments on the Recyclers Association of Bogotá (ARB) and the National Recyclers Association (ANR) ..................................................... 72 8.6. Details of the Population Surveyed in Colombia ................................................. 73 8.7. Details of respondents who work in recovery centers for recyclable material ... 76 8.8. Colombian work process drawing ........................................................................ 77 8.9. Masaya dump work process drawing .................................................................. 78 8.10. La Chureca dump work process drawing ............................................................. 79 8.11. Managua scrap yard work process drawing ........................................................ 80 8.12. Drawing: Work Flow of a Costa Rican Recovery Center for Recyclable Material ................................................................................................................ 81 8.13. Some Photographs ............................................................................................... 82 8.14. Bibliography ......................................................................................................... 87 3 List of Tables Table 1. Summary of People Interviewed Per Country ........................................................................... 14 Table 2. Summary of Focus Group Interviews per Country .................................................................... 14 Table 3. Work-related illnesses caused by conditions exogenous to the work place ............................. 16 Table 4. Work-related illnesses caused by conditions in the workplace................................................. 17 Table 5. Characteristics of the Interviewed People Who Work Collecting Recyclable Material (Percentages) ............................................................................................................................. 18 Table 6. Previous Activities Done by Persons Interviewed in Colombia, Costa Rica y Nicaragua ........... 19 Table 7. Comparison of the interviewed persons’ perception of own health (percentages) ................. 20 Table 8. Report of respondents’ ailments according to location ............................................................ 21 Table 9. Summary of occupational risks, procedures in case of accidents and preventive measures according to final disposal site .................................................................................................. 24 Table 10. Summary of occupational risks, procedures in case of accidents and preventive measures.... 28 Table 11. Ailments and causes according to respondents per country .................................................... 30 Table 12. Report of respondents’ ailments according to country ............................................................. 30 Table 13. Medicine taken according to disease and country .................................................................... 31 Table 14. Summary of occupational risks, procedures in case of accidents and preventive measures according to country.................................................................................................................. 33 Table 15. Results on the work of the human body ................................................................................... 36 Table 16. Results for the human figure test .............................................................................................. 38 Table 17. Results for the human figure test .............................................................................................. 39 Table 18. Results for the human figure test .............................................................................................. 40 Table 19. Results for the human figure test .............................................................................................. 41 List of Figures Figure 1. Methodological Framework ...................................................................................................... 11 Figure 2. The Phases of Integrated Solid Waste Management ................................................................ 15 Figure 3. Working process at the final disposal site ................................................................................. 20 Figure 4. Working process in the streets .................................................................................................. 25 Figure 5. Working process in the streets of Colombia ............................................................................. 26 Figure 6.