Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat (KKPKP)

Organisation name 

Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat (KKPKP)

Country 

India

Contact details 

Email wastematterspune@gmail.com

Testimonial

"Many of the initiatives used by KKPKP could be replicated in other parts of India and globally where wastepickers and scrap collectors live a dangerous, poorly paid existence. Through being short listed for the Alcan Prize for Sustainability, these invisible unsung environmentalists get the recognition and visibility due to them."

Financial resources

US$26,000 (2005)

Geographical focus

India/Asia

Issue focus

Poverty alleviation, environment

Key achievements

• Initiated daily door-to-door waste collection for homes and businesses.
• Lobbied for successful state recognition of wastepickers and other scrap collectors and set up contributory group social security schemes for them.
• Reduced child labour in scrap collection in the operational area by 75 per cent.

Mission

KKPKP's mission is to upgrade the livelihoods of informal scrap collectors and improve their conditions of work through their integration into municipal solid waste collection, recovery and processing. The objectives of the organisation are to:

• Establish scrap collectors as workers engaged in socially useful, economically productive and environmentally beneficial work
• Upgrade the livelihoods of wastepickers
• Improve the working conditions of scrap collectors
• Assert waste-pickers' rights over recyclable scrap
• Eliminate child labour in scrap collection
• Develop self supporting sustainable institutional mechanisms for social security for scrap collectors
• Explore methods of legislative protection for waste-pickers
• Carry out research and documentation to support institutional and advocacy initiatives
• Network and build alliances of wastepickers and other workers in the informal economy

Background

KKPKP is a membership-based association of informal scrap collectors (wastepickers and itinerant waste buyers) in Pune, India, founded in 1993. Members earn their livelihood by collecting recyclables such as paper, plastic, metal and glass scrap from households, commercial establishments and municipal solid waste in order to sell to recyclers. In February 2007 there were 6,266 members of whom over 80 per cent were women from socially backward and marginalised castes. Each member pays an annual fee of $0.50 to the organisation and since 2004 staff costs have been entirely met from membership and activity revenues. The organisation established the informal contribution of scrap collectors to municipal solid waste management, secured recognition from the municipal government. KKPKP are currently working in partnership with the municipality to universalise door-to-door collection of source segregated municipal waste through wastepickers in order to maximise recovery of recyclables, divert waste from the landfill and carry out decentralised processing of organic wastes, to the extent possible.

Scrap collectors (wastepickers and itinerant waste buyers) are among the poorest of the urban poor. Waste-pickers retrieve paper, plastic, metal and glass scrap from garbage bins and landfill sites. Ninety (90) per cent of waste-pickers are women, a third being widowed/ deserted. In a typical 10-12 hour working day their average earnings are US$1. Itinerant waste buyers purchase small quantities of scrap from households, offices, shops and other small commercial establishments. Men constitute 81 per cent of waste buyers and they typically earn $1.50 per day.

Partnerships

KKPKP works closely with its members. All decisions are taken in consultation with the Representative Council which consists of about 80 elected members representing members in different slum areas that meet once a month. A monthly meeting of all members is also held every month in each slum area. Other partners include the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporations, with whom KKPKP has worked on a range of initiatives, including the issue and recognition of identity cards for waste pickers and close liaison with state waste management priorities and operations.

KKPKP has also worked with the Waste Management Department and the Department of Continuing and Adult Education and Extension Work of SNDT Women's University, who have been involved in planning, funding and managing of a number of KKPKP projects, including the daily door-to-door waste collection project.

Impact achieved

KKPKP has made significant steps forward to meet its objectives. Key achievements include:

• Demanding that identity cards for scrap pickers are recognised in order to reduce suspicion and harassment of those involved in this profession. In 1995 the Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporations were the first in India to endorse identity cards and it has since become standard policy in the state of Maharashtra
• Providing a group insurance policy to cover accidental and natural death and disability to members. Each member pays an annual premium (currently US$1.50) for social security cover which is impossible to obtain otherwise
• Arguing the case for a medical insurance scheme for registered scrap pickers. In 2003 the Pune Municipal Corporation became the only municipality in the country to subscribe to a Medical Insurance Scheme for all Registered Waste-pickers in its jurisdiction
• Running a cooperative scrap store with an annual turnover of US$35,000
• Successfully reducing child labour in scrap collection from 616 in 1995 to 100 in 2007 through compulsory school enrolment, utilisation of government scholarships and other educational incentives
• Increasing wastepicker incomes and reducing working hours by coordinating daily door-to-door waste collection for which householders and businesses pay a small monthly fee