PRF founder Amitesh Deo

Over 700 individuals rely on waste picking as a consistent means of income.

This has been revealed in the “National Mapping Exercise” report by the Pacific Recycling Foundation.

PRF founder Amitesh Deo says the collection pillars of recycling, formerly known as waste pickers, heavily rely on waste picking as a source of income.

However, according to Deo, of the 1059 collection pillars of recycling, less than 339 make a wage of $100 a week.

“32% earned less than $100 weekly, 32% lived in squatter settlements, and 63% depended on waste picking as a consistent source of income.”

Deo says the CPR earns a living by collecting glass and PET bottles, scrap metal, or anything that can be resold for money.

The mapping exercise is the fourth report of its kind ever released globally and will provide an opportunity to put forth recommendations for the betterment of the livelihoods of the Collection Pillars of Recycling.