▪︎Waste recycling center in Abuja/ Afrik 21
(Industrial Times)
The International Labour Organization (ILO) says that the waste and recycling industry employs 6.9 million, representing 0.2 per cent of total global employment.
The waste management and recycling industry includes businesses and organizations that collect, process, and recycle materials such as glass, plastic, paper, metal, and electronics. As one of the world’s first green industries, it reduces greenhouse gas emissions, conserves energy, and protects natural resources while also creating jobs and supporting local economies.
ILO in its latest statistics document, Global and regional estimates of employment in selected economic activities and/or occupations, shows that employment in the industry has increased in 55 out of 71 countries in the period 2014 to 2023.
The report said: ” Globally, approximately 85 workers are employed in the waste and recycling industry per 100’000 people.
Europe and Central Asia has the highest rate, with 174 workers per 100,000 people, while Africa has the lowest, with less than 30 workers per 100,000 people.
Employment in this industry tends to be higher in more developed regions, where recycling practices are more widespread.
This trend is driven by higher recycling rates and increased demand for recycled materials, both of which are more common in regions such as Europe and Central Asia and the Americas. Recycling employment may be much higher in many low-income countries, but this type of work might not be well captured in the data.”
It noted that the recycling industry’s recent growth has been driven by increased public awareness, rising industrial demand for recycled materials, and strong public policy and corporate commitments.
Recycling has long been a means of recuperating value from what would otherwise be waste, providing livelihoods for many poor, especially in developing countries with limited opportunities for decent life and work.
The waste management and recycling industry is male-dominated, with women comprising only 22.7 percent of the workforce. Interestingly, while Africa has lower overall employment rates, women make up a relatively higher proportion of the workforce in this industry compared to other regions, with women constituting 29.5 per cent of the workforce in this industry.
Going the extra hour
On average, workers in the waste management and recycling industry work longer hours than those in other industries.
The average weekly working hours in the industry range from 23 to 57 hours across countries, exceeding the maximum of 50 hours per week observed in other industries.
This extended working time not only limits workers’ ability to engage in other activities, such as personal development, household responsibilities, family time, leisure and recreation, but can also adversely affect workers health and safety, increasing the risk of injuries.
In 18 out of 53 countries with available data, about a third of workers in the waste management and recycling industry work more than 48 hours per week, which is the threshold used to defined excessive working hours. In most of these countries, the rate of excessive working hours is higher than in other industries.
In India and Rwanda, for example, over 70 per cent of those employed in the industry work excessive hours. The high proportion of employed persons working excessive hours points to a decent work deficit in the industry.