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Keywords = landfill waste picker

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25 pages, 18360 KiB  
Article
Real-Time Household Waste Detection and Classification for Sustainable Recycling: A Deep Learning Approach
by Ali Arishi
Sustainability 2025, 17(5), 1902; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17051902 - 24 Feb 2025
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4040
Abstract
As global waste production continues to rise, improper handling of household waste significantly contributes to environmental pollution and resource depletion. Inefficient sorting at the household level leads to the contamination of recyclables, reducing recycling efficiency and increasing landfill waste. Effective waste sorting is [...] Read more.
As global waste production continues to rise, improper handling of household waste significantly contributes to environmental pollution and resource depletion. Inefficient sorting at the household level leads to the contamination of recyclables, reducing recycling efficiency and increasing landfill waste. Effective waste sorting is essential for conserving manual labor, protecting the environment, and ensuring sustainable development for human progress. Recently, advancements in deep learning and computer vision have offered a promising pathway to improve the sorting process, though significant developmental steps are still required. Enhancing the efficiency of automated waste detection and classification through computer vision could bring substantial societal and environmental benefits. However, classifying and identifying waste materials presents challenges due to the complex and diverse nature of waste, coupled with the limited availability of data on waste management. This paper presents a real-time waste detection and classification system based on the YOLOv8 deep learning model, designed to enhance waste sorting processes at the household level. The proposed system detects and classifies a diverse range of household waste items. Experiments were conducted on a custom waste dataset comprising 3775 images across 17 types of common household waste. The one-stage YOLOv8 model demonstrated superior performance, outperforming traditional two-stage detectors. To improve the accuracy and robustness of the original YOLOv8, five data augmentation techniques and two attention mechanisms were incorporated. Notably, the enhanced YOLOv8-CBAM model achieved a mean average precision (mAP) of 89.5%, a significant improvement with a 4.2% increase over the baseline model. The methodology and improvements applied provide a more efficient and effective AI framework for real-time applications in smart bins, robotic waste pickers, and large-scale recycling systems. Full article
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16 pages, 863 KiB  
Article
Sustainability Indicators to MSW Treatment Assessment: The Rio de Janeiro Case Study
by Júlia P. Oliveira, Fernando L. P. Pessoa, Ana Mehl, Flávia C. Alves and Argimiro R. Secchi
Sustainability 2024, 16(17), 7445; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16177445 - 28 Aug 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2149
Abstract
The Brazilian Policy foresees the waste management hierarchy, according to which energy reuse from waste is preferred to final disposal. However, less than 0.2% of the country’s waste goes to energy production. This paper proposes sustainability indicators to support the decision to choose [...] Read more.
The Brazilian Policy foresees the waste management hierarchy, according to which energy reuse from waste is preferred to final disposal. However, less than 0.2% of the country’s waste goes to energy production. This paper proposes sustainability indicators to support the decision to choose the best process to treat municipal solid waste (MSW) through bioenergy generation technologies. Then, we conduct a case study for Rio de Janeiro. Incineration and gasification were not economically feasible—despite TRL 9 and 8. However, the projects presented a null net present value by increasing the gate fee to 94.69 and 255.39 USD/ton of MSW, respectively. The social indicators (job creation, salary increase with the absorption of waste pickers, population served, reduction in MSW sent to landfill) did not indicate the best technology. The results of the environmental indicators for incineration and gasification were, respectively, 0.45 and 0.37 t CO2eq/tMSW for GWP, 1.49 and 1.23 MWh/tMSW for energy intensity, 1.24 and 6.14 m3/tMSW for water intensity, 39.3 and 27.9 m2/tMSW for land use and 0.135 and 0.088 t SO2eq/tMSW for acidification. Gasification presented better results on 60% of the environmental indicators. However, incineration scored better in the important ones, water and energy intensities, in addition to the technical–economic aspect. Full article
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11 pages, 1868 KiB  
Communication
Solid Waste Characterization and Management in a Highly Vulnerable Tropical City
by Oscar Julián Esteban Cantillo and Benjamin Quesada
Sustainability 2022, 14(24), 16339; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142416339 - 7 Dec 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3642
Abstract
Inadequate waste management can cause human health problems, economic losses, and environmental contamination. Colombian municipalities face the critical issues of very low levels of recycling for solid waste, increasing waste quantities, precarious conditions for waste pickers, a lack of investment in alternative strategies, [...] Read more.
Inadequate waste management can cause human health problems, economic losses, and environmental contamination. Colombian municipalities face the critical issues of very low levels of recycling for solid waste, increasing waste quantities, precarious conditions for waste pickers, a lack of investment in alternative strategies, increasing pollution, and landslides in landfills. Moreover, Colombia lacks an in-situ quantification of solid waste, as well as alternative strategies based on an analysis of the local contexts. This study provides an analysis of the current waste management and a characterization of the waste production in a highly vulnerable tropical city in Colombia, Puerto Carreño, the capital municipality in Vichada. Systematically following the collection routes, we determined that 61% of waste produced is potentially recyclable, and that the total solid waste per inhabitant (at 0.504 kg/capita/day) is 43% lower than that estimated by the private local waste collector. The great majority of solid waste is disposed of in El Merey landfill, which does not currently fulfill legal requirements. Given the current incentivization legislation, formal economic gains can be achieved, including an increase in employment, and the reduction of negative social and environmental impacts near the landfill, and it is estimated that its useful lifetime can be doubled (+30 years) within a circular economy framework. This study is an important contribution for local and national authorities to implement key waste-management recommendations, including the formalization of indigenous waste pickers, implementation of selective collection routes, agricultural exploitation of the organic waste, and adequate landfill management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Waste Management towards a Circular Economy Transition)
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12 pages, 324 KiB  
Article
Working with Waste: Hazards and Mitigation Strategies Used by Waste Pickers in the Inner City of Durban
by Ntobeko Mlotshwa, Tanya Dayaram, Asiphile Khanyile, Princess A. Sibanda, Kira Erwin and Tamlynn Fleetwood
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 12986; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192012986 - 11 Oct 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4339
Abstract
Informal waste pickers in cities across the Global South divert significant amounts of tonnage from landfills. This diversion contributes towards a sustainable environment and better public health practices. Informal workers globally derive livelihoods from collecting, sorting, and selling recyclable waste. In South Africa, [...] Read more.
Informal waste pickers in cities across the Global South divert significant amounts of tonnage from landfills. This diversion contributes towards a sustainable environment and better public health practices. Informal workers globally derive livelihoods from collecting, sorting, and selling recyclable waste. In South Africa, there is growing recognition of the valuable work that waste pickers carry out. Despite this, however, these informal workers remain largely unrecognised, are often stigmatised, and suffer from a lack of social protection linked to their work. This lack of recognition and protection creates specific occupational hazards for waste pickers. Using an ethnographic method, this study explores the physical and socio-psychological hazards that emerge from waste picking on the streets of the inner city of Durban, in South Africa. We found that the waste pickers, the majority of whom were women, developed mitigation strategies against these risks. A better understanding of how the occupational hazards of waste picking are shaped by the local context of working on the street enables the recognition of the knowledge waste pickers already hold regarding mitigation strategies. Insight into occupational hazards are important to consider if the municipal integration of waste pickers is to happen in a way that ensures access to social protections for these informal workers. Full article
14 pages, 522 KiB  
Article
Nutritional Status, Dietary Intake and Dietary Diversity of Landfill Waste Pickers
by Elizabeth C. Swart, Maria van der Merwe, Joy Williams, Frederick Blaauw, Jacoba M. M. Viljoen and Catherina J. Schenck
Nutrients 2022, 14(6), 1172; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14061172 - 10 Mar 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3718
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate and describe the nutritional status, dietary intake and dietary diversity of waste pickers in South Africa, a socioeconomically vulnerable group who makes a significant contribution to planetary health through salvaging recyclable material from dumpsites. Participants [...] Read more.
The purpose of this study was to investigate and describe the nutritional status, dietary intake and dietary diversity of waste pickers in South Africa, a socioeconomically vulnerable group who makes a significant contribution to planetary health through salvaging recyclable material from dumpsites. Participants were weighed and measured to calculate body mass index (BMI). Dietary intake was recorded using a standardised multipass 24 h recall. Individual dietary diversity scores were derived from the dietary recall data. Data were collected from nine purposefully selected landfill sites located in six rural towns and three cities in four of the nine provinces in South Africa, providing nutritional status information on 386 participants and dietary intake on 358 participants after data cleaning and coding. The mean BMI of the study sample was 23.22 kg/m2. Underweight was more prevalent among males (22.52%) whilst 56.1% of the females were overweight or obese. The average individual dietary diversity score was 2.46, with 50% scoring 2 or less. Dietary intake patterns were characterised as monotonous, starch-based and lacking vegetables and fruits. The nutritional status, dietary intake and dietary diversity of waste pickers reflect their precarious economic status, highlighting the need for health, social and economic policies to improve access and affordability of nutritious food. Full article
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22 pages, 2340 KiB  
Article
The Integration of Recycling Cooperatives in the Formal Management of Municipal Solid Waste as a Strategy for the Circular Economy—The Case of Londrina, Brazil
by Isabella Tamine Parra Miranda, Reginaldo Fidelis, Dayanne Aline de Souza Fidelis, Luiz Alberto Pilatti and Claudia Tania Picinin
Sustainability 2020, 12(24), 10513; https://doi.org/10.3390/su122410513 - 15 Dec 2020
Cited by 31 | Viewed by 4901
Abstract
In many developing countries, the informal recycling sector is responsible for reducing the amount of waste in landfills and supplying the needs of recycling industries. In the context of municipal solid waste (MSW) management, considering that developing countries aim to implement circular economy [...] Read more.
In many developing countries, the informal recycling sector is responsible for reducing the amount of waste in landfills and supplying the needs of recycling industries. In the context of municipal solid waste (MSW) management, considering that developing countries aim to implement circular economy (CE) actions, it is essential to ensure the inclusion of waste pickers (catadores) in an adapted CE structure. This study analyzes the integration of recycling cooperatives in the formal management of municipal solid waste with recyclable potential (MSWRP) of a medium-sized municipality in Brazil, with the objective of ascertaining the contributions of cooperatives in an adapted CE structure and, at the same time, identifying a cooperative that can be used as a benchmarking option for other cooperatives, especially in relation to their organizational and operational practices. The results indicate that from this integration, cooperatives have legal responsibility in the management of MSWRP, resulting in the professionalization of its members and increasing their productivity. The results also revealed that the implementation of the CE in developing countries is, in a sense, conditioned to the performance of the informal sector in the recycling chain and, in addition, that the inclusion of cooperatives in the formal sector of MSWRP management can improve the rates of a municipality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Municipal Solid Waste Management in a Circular Economy)
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10 pages, 304 KiB  
Article
Illness, Self-Rated Health and Access to Medical Care among Waste Pickers in Landfill Sites in Johannesburg, South Africa
by Felix Made, Vusi Ntlebi, Tahira Kootbodien, Kerry Wilson, Nonhlanhla Tlotleng, Angela Mathee, Mpume Ndaba, Spo Kgalamono and Nisha Naicker
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(7), 2252; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17072252 - 27 Mar 2020
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 4462
Abstract
Waste pickers are exposed to various environmental health hazards, and self-rated health (SRH) could influence their medical care access. This study investigated the association between illness, clinic visits and SRH, and assessed if SRH can increase clinic visits. A cross-sectional study was conducted. [...] Read more.
Waste pickers are exposed to various environmental health hazards, and self-rated health (SRH) could influence their medical care access. This study investigated the association between illness, clinic visits and SRH, and assessed if SRH can increase clinic visits. A cross-sectional study was conducted. SRH was defined as “very good”, “good”, “fair”, and “poor”. The illnesses were mental health, infectious, and chronic diseases. Medical care access included clinic visits in the previous 12 months. An ordinal logistic regression model was fitted to assess the association. There were 361 participants, 265 (73.41%) were males. Median age was 31 years, (interquartile range (IQR): 27–39). SRH: poor (29.89%), fair (15.92%), good (43.30%) very good (10.89%). Ever smoked (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 1.72; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.11–2.66), mental health (AOR: 1.87; 95% CI: 1.22–2.84), chronic (AOR: 2.34; 95% CI:1.47–3.68) and infectious (AOR: 2.07; 95% CI: 1.77–3.63) diseases were significantly associated with increased odds of reporting poor health. Clinic visit was not associated with SRH. From 99 (31%) individuals who rated their health as poor and ill, 40% visited a clinic (p = 0.0606). Acute and chronic illnesses were associated with poor SRH but this did not increase clinic visits. Provision of mobile clinic services at the landfill sites could increase access to medical care. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution: Occupational Exposure and Public Health)
15 pages, 1484 KiB  
Article
Expansion of the Waste-Based Commodity Frontier: Insights from Sweden and Brazil
by Jutta Gutberlet, Torleif Bramryd and Michael Johansson
Sustainability 2020, 12(7), 2628; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12072628 - 26 Mar 2020
Cited by 35 | Viewed by 6001
Abstract
Waste is a valuable commodity and remains a livelihood source for waste pickers in the global South. Waste to Energy (WtoE) is often described as alternative to landfilling, as it provides cheap fuel while making waste disappear. In some European cities, this method [...] Read more.
Waste is a valuable commodity and remains a livelihood source for waste pickers in the global South. Waste to Energy (WtoE) is often described as alternative to landfilling, as it provides cheap fuel while making waste disappear. In some European cities, this method has evolved into an impediment, slowing down the adoption of more sustainable technologies and waste prevention. These plants typically strain municipal budgets and provide fewer jobs than recycling and composting, thereby inhibiting the development of small-scale local recycling businesses. We applied the idea of ‘waste regime’ with an interdisciplinary and situated lens to provide insights to the following questions: How do different political developments in Brazil and Sweden, frame and reframe waste incineration and energy recovery, in the context of sustainability and waste management on local, regional and national levels? What forms of resistance against WtoE exist and what are the arguments of these protagonists? We evaluated the impact of WtoE and compare it with other waste management options with regard to CO2 balances and general environmental and social impacts. We conclude by suggesting more socially and environmentally appropriate ways of waste management, particularly for the context of global South cities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Technology and Management)
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9 pages, 302 KiB  
Article
Common Mental Health Disorders among Informal Waste Pickers in Johannesburg, South Africa 2018—A Cross-Sectional Study
by Matimba Makhubele, Khuliso Ravhuhali, Lazarus Kuonza, Angela Mathee, Spo Kgalamono, Felix Made, Nohlanhla Tlotleng, Tahira Kootbodien, Vusi Ntlebi, Kerry Wilson and Nisha Naicker
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(14), 2618; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16142618 - 23 Jul 2019
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5125
Abstract
Waste-picking is an income-generating opportunity for individuals living in poverty. Waste picking is associated with a range of risk factors for common mental disorders (CMD). This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with CMD among waste pickers in Johannesburg. A [...] Read more.
Waste-picking is an income-generating opportunity for individuals living in poverty. Waste picking is associated with a range of risk factors for common mental disorders (CMD). This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with CMD among waste pickers in Johannesburg. A cross-sectional study analyzed secondary data for 365 waste pickers. A validated Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) was used to assess CMD. Multivariable logistic regression was fitted to identify factors associated with CMD. The overall prevalence of CMD among waste pickers was 37.3%. The odds of having CMD were 2.5 and 3.2 higher in females and cigarette smokers, respectively (p = 0.019 and p = 0.003). Life enjoyment (Adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.54, p = 0.02) and a good quality of life (aOR 0.34, p ≤ 0.001) were associated with lower odds of CMD. The high prevalence of CMD among waste pickers was significantly associated with cigarette smoking, being female, not enjoying life, and a poor quality of life. Mental health awareness of CMD will assist with the prevention, early detection, and comprehensive management of CMD among waste pickers. Full article
21 pages, 6320 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Potential Health Risks Faced by Waste Pickers on Landfills in South Africa: A Socio-Ecological Perspective
by Catherina J Schenck, Phillip F Blaauw, Jacoba MM Viljoen and Elizabeth C Swart
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(11), 2059; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16112059 - 11 Jun 2019
Cited by 47 | Viewed by 9124
Abstract
Landfill and street waste pickers in South Africa are responsible for collecting substantial volumes of recyclable material, saving municipalities millions and contributing to a generally healthier and cleaner environment. Yet waste pickers continue to operate on the fringes of the economy and are [...] Read more.
Landfill and street waste pickers in South Africa are responsible for collecting substantial volumes of recyclable material, saving municipalities millions and contributing to a generally healthier and cleaner environment. Yet waste pickers continue to operate on the fringes of the economy and are exposed to many risks, particularly health risks which have a direct impact on the sustainability of their livelihoods. This article, using a mixed-methods approach, explores the health risks to which waste pickers working on nine different landfills in the country are exposed. The socio-ecological framework was used to analyse and present the results. A key finding was that waste picking, by its very nature, lends itself to innumerable health risks, but that these can be lessened through concerted and collaborative efforts on the part of landfill operators, local authorities and other stakeholders. Integrating the ‘self-employed’ waste pickers into the formal waste management system should be comprehensive in order to limit health risks. Waste pickers will never have a risk-free environment, but facilitative policies and supportive institutions can collaboratively help to mitigate these risks and create a more sustainable and dignified working environment towards sustaining their livelihoods. Full article
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11 pages, 1636 KiB  
Article
Historical Review of Waste Management and Recycling in South Africa
by Linda Godfrey and Suzan Oelofse
Resources 2017, 6(4), 57; https://doi.org/10.3390/resources6040057 - 19 Oct 2017
Cited by 135 | Viewed by 27603
Abstract
Recycling has been taking place in South Africa for more than three decades, driven by social and economic needs. While the waste hierarchy is embedded in national policy, an extensive legislative framework has made it more and more challenging for the public and [...] Read more.
Recycling has been taking place in South Africa for more than three decades, driven by social and economic needs. While the waste hierarchy is embedded in national policy, an extensive legislative framework has made it more and more challenging for the public and private sector to remain compliant and competitive in a local and global market, and still drive waste away from landfill towards reuse, recycling and recovery. A local recycling economy, on par with many developed countries, is in part due to a large and active informal waste sector. In the absence of separation at source across South African cities and towns, informal waste pickers have been key to accessing resources which the private sector has struggled to access, due to gatekeeping by municipalities. The South African waste and recycling sector can be defined in terms of four main stages of development—“The Age of Landfilling”, “The Emergence of Recycling”, “The Flood of Regulation” and “The Drive for EPR”, and is currently standing on the brink of a fifth stage—“The future is a Circular Economy”. The low hanging fruit, the easy to collect and recycle products, has been reaped. Moving to higher diversion from landfill targets will require more investment by the private sector and by government in the future. The social, economic and environmental benefits of doing this are clear, but must be balanced against the cost that will ultimately be borne by society, as consumers. Full article
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