Usmaan Shekh : “India’s Garbage Pickers: Miserable Job in Extreme Heat”

JAMMU, India (AP) — The putrid odour of burning rubbish drifts for miles from the landfill on the outskirts of Jammu in a potentially toxic haze fuelled by plastics, industrial waste, medical waste, and other refuse produced by the city’s 740,000 residents. Despite the suffocating heat and noxious fumes, a few waste pickers brave the conditions to sift through the trash in search of items they can sell to earn a meagre living of around $4 a day.

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65-year-old Usmaan Shekh, one of the waste pickers, shared, “If we don’t do this, we don’t get any food to eat. We try to take a break for a few minutes when it gets too hot, but mostly we just continue till we can’t.”

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Shekh and his family are part of the estimated 1.5 to 4 million people in India who make a living by scavenging through waste. The hazardous job has become even more perilous due to the impacts of climate change. In Jammu, a city in the Himalayan foothills, temperatures this summer have frequently surpassed 43 degrees Celsius (about 110 Fahrenheit).

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Tragically, at least one person who perished during the recent heatwave in northern India was identified as a garbage picker.

The landfills themselves emit noxious gases like methane and carbon dioxide as the garbage decomposes, with the rising summer heat accelerating and intensifying the process. Landfill fires are common in the summer months and can burn for days, exacerbating the health risks faced by waste pickers.

Small fires dotted the massive pile at the Jammu landfill, sending plumes of smoke into the air. Despite the scorching heat, waste pickers continued their work, with a 6-year-old boy seen clutching a handful of plastic sandals. Birds circled overhead, occasionally landing in search of scraps.

India produces an estimated 62 million tons of waste annually, with some landfills resembling mountains of garbage. Despite a 2016 law mandating waste segregation to prevent hazardous materials from reaching landfills, enforcement has been lacking, posing additional dangers to waste pickers.

Bharati Chaturvedi, founder of the New Delhi-based Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group, highlighted the risks faced by waste pickers who come into contact with a variety of hazardous materials in their work.

Chaturvedi emphasised that waste pickers, already subjected to social discrimination and poor working conditions, are now confronted with additional risks due to extreme heat.

“It’s been a terrible, terrible, terrible year,” she lamented. “They already expect to suffer from the heat, which causes them a lot of anxiety as they don’t know if they’ll survive the summer.”

Heat planning and public health experts warn that individuals compelled to work outdoors are at heightened risk due to prolonged heat exposure. Heatstroke, cardiovascular diseases, and chronic kidney diseases are among the potential health hazards faced by outdoor workers during periods of high heat.

Abhiyant Tiwari, who leads the climate resilience team at the Natural Resources Defense Council’s India program, stated that waste pickers are among the most vulnerable to heat-related illnesses due to their high exposure levels.

While India has developed heat action plans, implementing these measures nationwide remains a challenge. Tiwari stressed the collective responsibility to protect waste pickers, advocating for simple steps like providing water and shade to safeguard their well-being.

Geeta Devi, a 55-year-old waste picker at the Bhalswa landfill in New Delhi, shared her struggles in the sweltering heat, highlighting the daily challenges faced by those who rely on scavenging for their livelihood.

As the scorching summer persists, waste pickers across India continue to confront the dual threats of extreme heat and hazardous working conditions, underscoring the urgent need for protective measures and support for these vulnerable individuals.

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Follow Sibi Arasu on Twitter at @sibi123

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Arasu reported from Bengaluru and Nagpal reported from New Delhi.

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The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Channi Anand, Piyush Nagpal And Sibi Arasu, The Associated Press