Paper short abstract:

I aim to bring an analysis of how privatization in Delhi’s waste management impacts waste pickers’ livelihoods, contributing to exclusion and displacement. Drawing on primary research, I’ll explore the role of unions in collectivization, their responses to these challenges, and policy solutions.

Paper long abstract:

There are around two hundred thousand waste pickers in Delhi, playing a critical role in recycling by collecting and segregating waste in the informal sector. Despite their vital contributions to environmental conservation and sanitation, these workers are denied basic rights, including regular wages and social security benefits. Many belong to economically marginalized and low-caste communities. Since the mid-2000s, privatization has transformed Delhi's waste management, replacing local waste sorting centers (dhalaos) with modern compactor machines and Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs), largely operated by private companies in collaboration with the municipal corporation. This shift has disrupted waste pickers' livelihoods by limiting their access to waste, which is now directed to waste-to-energy plants or landfills. While some waste pickers have adapted by segregating waste at home, many have lost their income and face displacement and exclusion from waste management processes. Due to insufficient infrastructure and social support, they increasingly rely on non-state actors such as NGOs and unions for support The proposed paper will analyze the impact of privatization on waste pickers’ livelihoods, focusing on exclusion and displacement. It will also assess the responses of waste pickers’ unions, NGOs, and movements to this situation. Using primary data from ongoing research of the author and interviews with waste pickers, unions, and NGOs, the paper aims to contribute to discussions on integrating informal waste pickers into formal systems and informing policy decisions.