New Delhi, April 3 -- The First World Conference of Waste Pickers, held in Colombia in 2008, reached a provisional consensus to adopt the term 'waste picker' in English, replacing the derogatory term 'scavenger'.

Despite the long-standing role of the informal waste management sector, most countries have yet to formally acknowledge their contributions or integrate them into national policies. From Pemulung in Indonesia and Zabballen in Egypt to Recicladores in Colombia, whatever they are called, they continue to play a vital role across countries and continents.

Scale and impact of informal waste pickers Estimates suggest that the informal waste management sector employs between 12.5 million and 56 million people worldwide. Given a glob...