Continued Medical Waste Exposure of Recyclable Collectors Despite Dumpsite Closures in Brazil

Abstract

Background. Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, currently has the largest dumpsite of the Americas at Estrutural, with over 30 million tons of waste accumulated. Recyclable waste collectors are a group of workers who, in addition to having a low socioeconomic status and residing in vulnerable areas, work sorting garbage in inadequate and unsanitary areas. This profession puts individuals at risk, resulting in death, mutilation, and disease for workers. Objectives. The aim of this study was to understand the effects of waste on recyclable collectors, along with their perceptions of associated risks. Methods. A qualitative study was conducted, using interviews with 34 participants at Estrutural. Results. Collectors were exposed to several hazards, including biological, physical, and more extreme hazards (e.g. being run over by waste trucks). Personal protective equipment was not adequately used, exposing recyclable collectors to injury. Accidents included cuts, burns, skin lesions, eyes lesions, and arm, leg, head, feet, and hand injuries and amputations. Often, homecare remedies and collected medical waste (e.g. pain killers) were used on these injuries instead of seeking out proper medical care. Conclusions. Recyclable collectors were aware of occupational hazards, but lacked education on the risks and consequences associated with exposure to medical hazards. Moreover, Brazil recently formally closed all dumpsites, complicating this issue. The findings of the present study confirm the need to address these hazards to provide a safe working environment for waste pickers. Participant Consent. Obtained Ethics Approval. This study was approved by the Research and Ethics Committee of the Health School of Brasília University under Opinion n. 1.517.670/2016. Competing Interests. The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Recyclable waste pickers: life and work in light of the social determinants of health

“…vulnerability contexts (21) . For example, a qualitative study carried out with associated women waste pickers showed that they had life trajectories marked by economic, family, and social vulnerabilities.…”

“…Concerning occupational diseases, there is evidence of the high incidence of musculoskeletal disorders, chronic non-communicable diseases (arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus), infectious diseases, verminous diseases, and allergic diseases in this population. Long working hours, combined with lack of access or non-use of personal protective equipment, aggravate the risk of illness at work (7,9,21) .…”

“…Occupational accidents among waste pickers are also prevalent, including cuts, burns, skin and eye injuries, limb and head injuries, and sometimes amputations. Accidents with piercingcutting material are common (7,9,21) . Also, pain, an aggravation issue that obtained emphasis in the respondents' discourse, is also evidenced in the literature.…”

HIV, HBS and HCV in Dump Site Workers of Erbil Governorate

“…Such injuries are comprised head, hands, arms legs, and feet burns and cuts, lesions of eyes and skin, and even hand amputations. [29] Another study in Egypt also indicated the prevalence of HBV among dumpsite workers, emphasizing on the necessity for vaccination as a prophylactic measure. [30] Studies are still conducted in Nigeria, where workers were exposed to hazardous substances, which might cause a variety of diseases.…”

Medical and healthcare waste generation, storage, treatment and disposal: A systematic review of risks to occupational and public health

“…Whereas small numbers of informal waste workers are known to purposefully seek medical waste as a valuable resource to be reused or recycled, waste pickers also encounter medical waste accidentally while searching for other valuable materials (Zolnikov et al, 2019).…”