Thu Oct 02 19:32:37 UTC 2025: **Headline: Delhi’s Unseen Recyclers: Waste Pickers Struggle for Recognition Amid Rising Waste Crisis**

**NEW DELHI -** (October 3, 2025) – As Delhi grapples with a mounting waste management crisis, the city’s unsung heroes – its 1.5 lakh waste pickers – face increasing marginalization despite playing a crucial role in diverting nearly a third of the city’s waste from overflowing landfills.

These informal workers, like 52-year-old Seema, who once collected over 50 kg of recyclables daily, now struggle to gather even 20 kg, facing restrictions and displacement as private concessionaires take over waste handling. Seema lamented being treated “like thieves” while contractors hire workers from other states, sidelining local communities, particularly women, who form the backbone of the sector.

A recent report by Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group emphasizes the urgent need to integrate the informal recycling sector into Extended Producer Responsibility for Plastics. “Start-ups and enterprises in the plastic waste sector still rely on waste pickers’ networks and skills, but they remain invisible as stakeholders,” stated Abhishek Singh, Chintan’s research lead.

For generations, waste pickers have been the primary force in collecting recyclables, selling them to small aggregators. However, their access to waste sources has drastically declined, forcing many back into low-paying factory jobs. The lack of protective gear and social security also contributes to a shockingly low life expectancy of just 39 years for waste pickers in India, according to Chintan’s estimates.

While the central government’s National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) scheme aims to integrate waste pickers into the formal system, progress has been slow, with only 42,127 workers validated through e-KYC as of September 20. The scheme promises ID cards, health coverage, PPE kits, and support for dry waste collection centers.

However, some waste pickers have found stability through collective action. Jharna Khatun, vice president of Safai Sena, now works at the NDMC-Chintan Micro Material Recovery Facility, where she earns a fair wage by selling directly at market price. Chintan operates nine such facilities in Delhi, empowering women and providing them with recognition and respect.

Khatun emphasizes the need for space and recognition, stating, “We are looked down upon as poor and dirty. I want to give my children a better life and break this cycle. I don’t want to work under any authority that decides for us.” The story of Delhi’s waste pickers highlights the urgent need for a more inclusive and equitable approach to waste management that recognizes and values their contribution to a cleaner and more sustainable city.

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