Health and work impacts on Rio de Janeiro waste pickers’ cooperatives during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020/2021)

Abstract Waste pickers play an essential role in the management of recyclable solid waste. The COVID-19 pandemic (2020/2021) has created a risk scenario due to the suspension or reduction of selective collection in several Brazilian municipalities. The objective of this study was to evaluate the imp...

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Main Authors: Luiggia Girardi Bastos Reis de Araujo, Pammela Primo de Oliveira Silva, Ana Ghislane Henriques Pereira van Elk
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Associação Nacional de Pós-Graduação e Pesquisa em Ambiente e Sociedade (ANPPAS) 2025-07-01
Series:Ambiente & Sociedade
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1414-753X2025000100308&lng=en&tlng=en
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author Luiggia Girardi Bastos Reis de Araujo
Pammela Primo de Oliveira Silva
Ana Ghislane Henriques Pereira van Elk
author_facet Luiggia Girardi Bastos Reis de Araujo
Pammela Primo de Oliveira Silva
Ana Ghislane Henriques Pereira van Elk
author_sort Luiggia Girardi Bastos Reis de Araujo
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Waste pickers play an essential role in the management of recyclable solid waste. The COVID-19 pandemic (2020/2021) has created a risk scenario due to the suspension or reduction of selective collection in several Brazilian municipalities. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of the pandemic on recycling cooperatives in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro. In 2021, semi-structured interviews about working conditions during the pandemic were conducted in 12 of the 25 cooperatives registered with the City Hall of Rio de Janeiro. The main control practices were disinfection of the shed and hands, distancing and dismissal of vulnerable workers. 8 to 11 cooperatives reported the use of gloves, boots, goggles and masks as PPE. The use of 70% alcohol was reported by all cooperatives. 96.4% of cooperative members were vaccinated, with 20 cases of infection up until the time of the interview. Basic food baskets from philanthropic sources were the main support received, emphasizing the omission of public authorities.
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publisher Associação Nacional de Pós-Graduação e Pesquisa em Ambiente e Sociedade (ANPPAS)
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series Ambiente & Sociedade
spelling doaj-art-99cef4d91b4d45448a1d3725dc634d462025-08-20T03:33:11ZengAssociação Nacional de Pós-Graduação e Pesquisa em Ambiente e Sociedade (ANPPAS)Ambiente & Sociedade1414-753X2025-07-012810.1590/1809-4422asoc00401vu28l3oaHealth and work impacts on Rio de Janeiro waste pickers’ cooperatives during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020/2021)Luiggia Girardi Bastos Reis de Araujohttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5471-7678Pammela Primo de Oliveira Silvahttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7704-0818Ana Ghislane Henriques Pereira van Elkhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-7816-3622Abstract Waste pickers play an essential role in the management of recyclable solid waste. The COVID-19 pandemic (2020/2021) has created a risk scenario due to the suspension or reduction of selective collection in several Brazilian municipalities. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of the pandemic on recycling cooperatives in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro. In 2021, semi-structured interviews about working conditions during the pandemic were conducted in 12 of the 25 cooperatives registered with the City Hall of Rio de Janeiro. The main control practices were disinfection of the shed and hands, distancing and dismissal of vulnerable workers. 8 to 11 cooperatives reported the use of gloves, boots, goggles and masks as PPE. The use of 70% alcohol was reported by all cooperatives. 96.4% of cooperative members were vaccinated, with 20 cases of infection up until the time of the interview. Basic food baskets from philanthropic sources were the main support received, emphasizing the omission of public authorities.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1414-753X2025000100308&lng=en&tlng=enWaste PickersPandemicRecoverable Solid WasteCooperativesWorker’s Health
spellingShingle Luiggia Girardi Bastos Reis de Araujo
Pammela Primo de Oliveira Silva
Ana Ghislane Henriques Pereira van Elk
Health and work impacts on Rio de Janeiro waste pickers’ cooperatives during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020/2021)
Ambiente & Sociedade
Waste Pickers
Pandemic
Recoverable Solid Waste
Cooperatives
Worker’s Health
title Health and work impacts on Rio de Janeiro waste pickers’ cooperatives during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020/2021)
title_full Health and work impacts on Rio de Janeiro waste pickers’ cooperatives during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020/2021)
title_fullStr Health and work impacts on Rio de Janeiro waste pickers’ cooperatives during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020/2021)
title_full_unstemmed Health and work impacts on Rio de Janeiro waste pickers’ cooperatives during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020/2021)
title_short Health and work impacts on Rio de Janeiro waste pickers’ cooperatives during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020/2021)
title_sort health and work impacts on rio de janeiro waste pickers cooperatives during the covid 19 pandemic 2020 2021
topic Waste Pickers
Pandemic
Recoverable Solid Waste
Cooperatives
Worker’s Health
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1414-753X2025000100308&lng=en&tlng=en
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AT pammelaprimodeoliveirasilva healthandworkimpactsonriodejaneirowastepickerscooperativesduringthecovid19pandemic20202021
AT anaghislanehenriquespereiravanelk healthandworkimpactsonriodejaneirowastepickerscooperativesduringthecovid19pandemic20202021