title: Between hype and veracity; privatization of municipal solid waste management and its impacts on the informal waste sector.
abstract: The informal waste recycling sector has been an indispensable but ironically invisible part of the waste management systems in developing countries as India, often completely disregarded and overlooked by decision makers and policy frameworks. The turn towards liberalization of economy since 1991 in India opened the doors for privatization of urban services and the waste sector found favor with private companies facilitated by the local governments. In joining the privatization bandwagon, the local governments aim to create an image of a progressive city demonstrated most visibly through apt management of municipal solid waste. Resultantly, the long important stakeholder, the informal sector has been sidelined and left to face the adverse impacts of privatization. There is hardly any recognition of its contributions or any attempt to integrate it within the formal waste management systems. The study investigates the impacts of privatization on the waste pickers in waste recycling operations. Highlighting the other dimension of waste collection and management in urban India the study focuses on the waste pickers and small time informal scrap dealers and this is done by taking the case study of Amritsar city, which is an important historic centre and a metropolitan city in the state of Punjab, India. The paper develops an analytical framework, drawing from literature review to analyze the impacts. In conclusion, it supports the case for involving informal waste sector towards achieving sustainable waste management in the city.
authors: Cities Research Centre, Griffith School of Environment, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia. Electronic address: kiransandhu13@gmail.com.
authors: Kiran
authors: K
authors: Sandhu
authors: Cities Research Centre, Griffith School of Environment, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia.
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Burton
authors: Cities Research Centre, Griffith School of Environment, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia.
authors: Aysin
authors: A
authors: Dedekorkut-Howes
mesh_terms: D002947:Cities; D003906:Developing Countries; D004651:Employment; D007194:India; D000070100:Informal Sector; D009111:Local Government; D009938:Organizations; D011332:Privatization; D059027:Recycling / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D062611:Solid Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D018505:Waste Management / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D062611:Solid Waste
keywords: Amritsar; Informal waste sector; Integration; Privatization; Waste pickers