168 ANNE M. KARANJA, MOSES M. IKIARA, THEO C. DAVIES
of which is not easily quantifiable but in this case seems to be a significant source of
motivation or survival tactic.
These actors have devised several methods of coping with the occupational constraints
typical of their work. Certain ‘tricks’ are applied to try and increase gains from waste
picking. These include the wetting of paper to increase its weight and the `fixing’ of
weighing machines by traders in order to lower the weight. All players in the chain are
knowledgeable on these and other important aspects including the quality and the
demand patterns of the differentiated types of materials. The most striking of these are
the informal and highly recognised territorial, picking and trading arrangements found
amongst street waste pickers as well as dump waste pickers These are most sophisti-
cated at the Dandora dumpsite and comprise of arrangements through which compet-
itive accessibility to the ‘high quality’ waste disposed of by private companies and
household utility manufacturers is ensured.
8.6. MATERIALS,SALES AND INCOMES
Most (80 percent) of the waste materials recovered at the Dandora dumpsite are sold
toMukuru recycling project, a CBO initiated by a local church in one of the
low-income residential areas neighbouring the dump. From the project the materials
are transferred directly to recycling factories after a period of accumulation. This
arrangement as conceived by the project leaders has successfully helped circumvent
the ‘exploitative’ dealers operating around the dumpsite and has resulted in relatively
higher prices and incomes for the waste pickers at the dump. Other initiatives meant
to uplift the economic viability of these activities include the recycling of plastic
within Mukuru itself. With technical and financial assistance from UNEP, an agree-
ment for the transfer of technology and skills has been reached between Mukuru and
Skyplast, one of the city’s large-scale plastics recycling companies^7.
Although street waste picker(s) operate outside of such arrangements, they tend to
earn more from sales on average than dump waste picker(s). This is attributed to the
variations in the types and amounts of materials collected in terms of quality and quan-
tity. The table below provides data on the materials, prices, and quantities collected.
- This project was started by a priest in one of the local Catholic churches and also comprises of a reha-
bilitation program for drug addicted dump waste pickers An arrangement has also been made for pick-
ers injured at the dump to access medical attention from a Catholic run hospital at reduced charges
(interview with Mukuru recycling project manager).