Resources on recycling, waste pickers and SWaCH
OFFICIAL SWaCH DOCUMENTS
This section is a rich repository of resources on recycling, waste pickers and SWaCH. Here, you will find flyers and pamphlets to download, films, legal documents and government reports, case studies and media coverage, booklets, links to other organisations and more.
Feel free to download and share these resources, but do remember to acknowledge SWaCH and this website as your source.
- SWaCH PMC AGREEMENT 2022
- SWaCH PMC AGREEMENT 2016 – 2020
- SWaCH PMC MOU
- SWaCH PCMC MOU
- SWaCH Termination Letter
Board Members
- Hausa Uttam Sasane
- Shobha Suresh Bansode
- Kamal Eknath Chandane
- Rajamaushi Dhondiba Sawant
- Suman Mariba More
- Supriya Dilip Bhadakwad
- Mangal Jagannath Gaikwad
- Sarubai Waghmare
- Surekha Lala Gaikwad
- Balubai Ramesh Pawar
- Mariavva Suresh Mallagi
- Shobha Ram Kamble
GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS
This section is a rich repository of resources on recycling, waste pickers and SWaCH. Here, you will find legal documents and government reports.
Feel free to download and share these resources, but do remember to acknowledge SWaCH and this website as your source.
Rules / Acts :
Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016: Download SWM Rules 2016
Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2024:
MSW (Management and Handling) Rules 2000: The MSW Rules 2000 lays down rules for municipal authorities responsible for collection, segregation, storage, transportation, processing and disposal of municipal solid wastes. MSW_rules_2000
Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011: Rules to regulate the manufacture,use, disposal and recycling of plastic and which include a definition of Extended Producer Responsibility (Pg 18, 3 g): http://moef.nic.in/downloads/public-information/DOC070211-005.pdf
Electronic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011: Rules specifying the responsibilities of producers, users, collection centres, recyclers etc. of electronic goods: http://envfor.nic.in/downloads/rules-and-regulations/1035e_eng.pdf
Notifications for the disposal of Fly Ash
Management and Handling of Batteries: This notification from the MoEF specifies that ‘It shall be the responsibility of a manufacturer, importer, assembler and re-conditioner’ to ensure that the used batteries are collected back, sale and collection is recorded, collection centres are set up and used batteries are sent only to the registered recyclers etc. Click here to read more
Management and Handling of Hazardous Waste (1989, amended in 2000 and 2003)
Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation Act) 1986: Law prohibiting and regulating the engagement of children in certain employment. The act was amended in 2006 to extend the ban on child labour to domestic work and working in dhabas. http://chdslsa.gov.in/right_menu/act/pdf/Child.pdf
Right to Education Act: The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 came into effect from April 1, 2010. The goal of the RTE Act is to provide free and compulsory education of good quality to all children of the age of six to fourteen years. Amongst other provisions, the RTE Act mandates a 25% reservation of seats in schools for children from disadvantaged backgrounds : http://www.rtemaharashtra.org/
Circulars / Rulings / Letters :
Maharashtra Pollution Control Board: Letter of Authorisation for Collection Centre of E-Waste
Government of Maharashtra circular regarding ragpickers (2002) : This (Marathi) document delineates the recommendations on integrating rag pickers into the city’s SWM system.
Supreme Court order on ration/food supply (2003) : Order on a petition seeking immediate release of surplus food stocks held by government, for drought affected areas.
Trust Hospital Ruling: All Public Charitable Trusts which are running charitable hospitals are under legal obligation to reserve and earmark 10% of the total number of operational beds for indigent patients, to provide them medical treatment free of cost and to reserve and earmark 10% of the total number of operational beds at concessional rate. http://www.maha-arogya.gov.in/actsrules/BombayTrustAct.pdf
Letter on sorting sheds by Mr Benjamin of MOUD (2007) : Letter from the Ministry of Urban Development recognising the need for sorting spaces in the city and recommending to local urban bodies to ensure the provision of these.
Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) circular: (Dr. M. Ramchandran Circular D.O No. Q-1101/3/2008 – PHE.II 15th January 2009) This circular directs all ULBs to undertake the following measures amongst others: Manual handling of solid waste should be eliminated. Workers should be provided with uniforms, shoes, gloves and other implements for safety and easy working, should be subjected to periodical health checks and health insurance.
Minimum Wages Act: According to the Ministry of Labour, ‘even though there is no uniform and comprehensive wage policy for all sectors of the economy in India, a mechanism exists for determination of wages in the Organized and Unorganized sectors and their enforcement. Wages in the organized sector are determined through negotiations and settlements between employer and employees. In the unorganized sector, where labour is vulnerable to exploitation due to illiteracy and lack of effective bargaining power, the minimum rates of wages are fixed both by Central and State Governments in the scheduled employments falling within their respective jurisdictions under the provisions of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948. The Act binds the employers to pay to the workers the minimum wages so fixed from time to time. http://www.ilo.org/dyn/travail/docs/624/Minimum%20Wages%20(Central)%20Rules%201950.pdf
MAHARASHTRA STATE POLICY
Govt of Maharashtra GR, Urban development Dept (No SWM 1006/C.R C.R 53/ UD 16 26th October 2006): Also known as the Phatak Plan, this government resolution presented a time-bound action plan for implementation of the MSW Rules 2000 for all municipal councils and corporations.
Order regarding categories of beneficiaries under the Antodaya Scheme. Government of Maharashtra, 1004/ 2008/ Pra. Ka 1583 Napu 28, 10th December 2006
Maharashtra Non-Biodegradable garbage ( Control) Act 2006:http://envis.maharashtra.gov.in/envis_data/pdf/PlasticApril2006.pdf
REPORTS
This section is a rich repository of resources on recycling, waste pickers and SWaCH. Here, you will find government reports.
Feel free to download and share these resources, but do remember to acknowledge SWaCH and this website as your source.
What We Waste: Waste Characterisation Report
Household waste generation and recovery by waste pickers in Pune
This study was supported by the Pew Charitable Trusts and Plastic Solutions Fund as part of a research initiative to gather data on the baseline solid waste management status of Pune city, with a focus on plastic waste. It was conducted by Kashtakari Panchayat with invaluable support from the Pune Municipal Corporation, the SWaCH Cooperative and the National Chemical Laboratory.
Bajaj Committee Report (1995) : Report of the high-powered committee set up to look into urban SWM which brought to the fore the hazardous environmental and health effects of the current SWM system. It strongly recommended segregation and suggested that ‘Private agencies/NGOs, ragpickers or their cooperatives may be involved in primary collection of solid waste from house holds/ community bins.’
Report of the Committee Constituted by the Hon. Supreme Court of India, “Solid Waste Management in Class I Cities in India”, March 1999. (Barman Committee Report) : The committee has made recommendations for each stage of solid waste management services and has laid down the minimum level of service the local body must provide in a given time frame.
TAG report (2005) : This report carries recommendations on how to involve citizens in better SWM practices. Pg 93, (i) also carries a recommendation to ‘provide an arrangement for making rag pickers financially independent from the money lenders operating in the form of middlemen…who will (then) not be dependent on middlemen for funds and can then sell the reclaimed materials at the market rates.’
National Environment Policy, 2006: With regard to waste pickers and waste collection, this policy states ‘Give legal recognition to, and strengthen, the informal sector systems of collection and recycling of various materials. In particular enhance their access to institutional finance and relevant technologies.’ ( Section 5.2.8 point (e) Pg 36) http://envfor.nic.in/nep/nep2006.html
Task Force on SWM Roadmap (2008) : Importantly, this task force recommended the development of a policy on managing ‘packaging waste’ with the participation of all stakeholders and sought the involvement of large-scale retailers and user industries.
The CAG Audit on Municipal Solid Waste in India (December 2008) : This recommends (Chapter 3, Section 3.5) that ‘MOEF/ states should consider providing legal recognition to rag pickers so that recycling work becomes more organized and also ensure better working conditions for them.’
National Action Plan for Climate Change, 2009: This policy document recommends, amongst other things, energy recovery from urban waste as a key action recommendation: http://moef.nic.in/downloads/others/CC_ghosh.pdf
SWM Parliamentary Standing Committee, Fifth report (2010) : This report says, in Recommendation 16, Para 16, point 2.15 that: ‘The Committee observe that as per guidelines given in the Manual on Municipal Solid Waste Management, 2000, the local body should provide adequate protective equipment including clothing and health check up from time to time to the staff to ensure that their health is not adversely affected on account of their handling of solid waste. Further, free medical services should be made available to those whose health is affected on account of handling of solid waste.’ It notes that this is not being complied with. This same point recognises the ‘special role’ played by rag pickers in the segregation of waste and urges that they be ‘provided with the adequate protective equipment and health checkup including other incentives like identity cards and use of public sanitation services.’
PUBLICATIONS
Involving waste-pickers to improve door-to-door collection
http://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2013/jun/06/rummaging-through-rubbish
http://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2014/jul/01/india-waste-picking-women-waste-cities-urban.
http://www.goimonitor.com/story/city-wasted-and-redeemed
http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/kicking-stink
http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/lessons-two-cities
The Economics of the informal sector in solid waste management. GTZ.
A study of child labour in the waste picking sector. Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat. 2007.
Report of scrap collectors, scrap traders and recycling enterprises in Pune city. ILO. 2001.
On the road to zero waste. GAIA. 2012.
The struggle for survival while working with waste.
(The success stories of the members of the Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat) by Bharat Kamble,Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat,Pune, 2011
Swach policy brief
CASE STUDIES
Organising the Unorganised: A Case Study of the Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat (Trade Union of Waste-Pickers) – English | Marathi
UNESCAP: Innovative partnerships with informal workers to recover plastic waste, in an inclusive circular economy approach | Pune, India – Case Study | Regional Policy Guide
Green Collar Women, International Labour Organisation, Lakshmi Narayan – English | Marathi
PAMPHLETS, FLIERS & POSTERS
This section is a rich repository of resources on recycling, waste pickers and SWaCH. Here, you will find flyers and pamphlets to download and more.
Feel free to download and share these resources, but do remember to acknowledge SWaCH and this website as your source.
Films about SWaCH and KKPKP(CDs)
Mol – मोल ‘Mol’ presents an ethnographic history of the waste picker movement in Pune, told through individual stories of empowerment, transformation and resilience. The film was made through a collaborative process with leaders from the waste picker community in Pune, dedicated to informal workers worldwide.
https://youtu.be/zW1ODrJoL8U
The Story of SWaCH – This short film captures the journey of India’s largest wholly-owned waste picker cooperative, follows its struggles and successes, and presents a nuanced perspective on the integration of informal waste pickers. The film was made by Pratisaad Productions, through a collaborative process with leaders from the waste picker movement in Pune.
https://youtu.be/-WyXhISDIeU
Just Reuse | Waste pickers | Just Transition : Dive into the perspectives of waste pickers in Pune as they share their insights on the Reuse system. While environmentalists advocate for reuse, the voices of waste pickers from Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat (KKPKP) and SWaCH Pune bring forth crucial considerations. In this enlightening video, discover how a thoughtfully implemented Reuse system can be inclusive, offering both environmental benefits and protection for the livelihoods of waste pickers.
India Hoga Clean (EP 5): Here’s a Look at the Clean-Up Drive in Pune | CNN-News18: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5j7oI-qzNE0
Pushing for Peace: An Initiative of the Red Dot Campign
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3o-KvJ5O9OENUM3VHlIQnZhYW8/view
Waste Workers in Pimpri Chinchwad : A Report by KKPKP
For two years SWaCH members serviced 2 lakh households in Pimpri Chinchwad. They ensured that recyclables were recovered and diverted away from the landfills and into recycling. The unique partnership ended in 2012. This is a report on the working lives of waste pickers who are now contract workers — their working conditions, payments, access to waste and earnings. The report was compiled based on evidence gathered under the Right to Information Act 2005 by Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLS9kEIE_Ik
Waste pickers and new-age technology seem an unlikely partnership – but take a look at what SWaCH and ProtoPrint, an enterprise that makes 3-D printer filament from recycled plastic litter, are doing together. The firm is looking for a sustainable and socially-responsible business model, while waste pickers benefit by being trained for a new skill. Opportunities for the next generation, says SWaCH member Sandhya Damle, are opening up! Watch online : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrUSJRINJak
Poorna Chakra/Full Circle (Director: Amit Kumar Raj, 2010, Marathi/English) is a thought-provoking documentary about the women of Pune, India working with the recycling co-operative SWaCH. It discusses how their work impacts their lives and the environment around them and how they have bettered their lives and the chances their children have for a better future, by organizing. Watch online: http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/3942/Full-Circle
Amhi SWaCH/We, Swach (Amit Thavaraj 2010, Marathi/English), documents the door-to-door waste collection work of SWaCH. It won the first prize in the amateur category, at the Aapla Paryavaran Film Festival. Watch online: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMvU5bOHpTU
Right to Education/RTE: (Directed by Anurata Tribhuvan, 2012 Marathi/English)This is a story of the struggle of some parents who wanted to get their children admitted to private schools through the 25% reservation provision of the Right to Education Act. These parents are members of Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat (the waste pickers’ union) in Pune (Maharashtra). This film is an initiative by Action for the Rights of Child, Pune (ARC): Watch online: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFPvN-1Esqg
Amchi Vasti, Swach Vasti (CD)
You can support SWaCH by buying the films from us. Contact us here for ordering the films
Videos on Meetings and Consultations on waste and recycling
Consultation on Extended Producer Responsibility: SWaCH members discussed Extended Producer Responsibility at a consultation held on October, 30, 2012. Highlights from the consultation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysg4rKQrLGo
First Global Strategic Workshop for Waste Pickers: A video report on the workshop for waste pickers, April 25-29, 2012, Pune, India https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNk_Smv6hpg
COP 17 December 2011, Durban – interview with SWaCH members: Keith Brunner interviews Suman More and Sushila Sabale: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgCTgC8Q50E
COP 17 December 2011, Durban – Global Day of Action by Global alliance of waste Pickers was marked with a planned ‘action’ at the ICC, outside the venue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvcICTshjBs
COP 17 December 2011, Durban – Action by the Global Alliance of Waste pickers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KNeXTs-uq4
COP 17 December 2011, Durban – Protest action against incinerators: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6BpvMi3Mog
COP 17 December 2011, Durban – SWaCH members Manisha Desai, Sushila Sabale and Suman More tell the Climate Change Studio about their concerns over incinerator-based CDM projects: http://climatechange-tv.rtcc.org/monisha-sesai-outreach-manager-solid-waste-collection-and-handling-swach/
Videos on waste pickers speaking on waste and recycling issues
The threat of Waste-to-Energy plants — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dozba76aLJw
The role of waste pickers in containing climate change – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGIJrkuSJ5E
Who’s responsible for climate change? – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Av5CFeGV4_8
Waste pickers talk about climate change — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMOHrjAyVr0
The role of waste pickers (COP 15) — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSwzkWN2HC4
A group discussion on waste and work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeqQzO5yrHQ
General films and videos
Wasted waste: This film presented by TERI, explores the issues of waste disposal in city of Pune and the situation of waste pickers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOOG0XRxGMM
Plastic bottle reuse: A workshop film by Tanya on the work of SWaCH and recycling: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCiGrRjBWbU
Recycling in India: A Rough Assembly by David Browne, featuring the pioneering work of SWaCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2ROBMX4pms
