Development of a sustainable and inclusive solid waste management system in Colombia

Managing solid waste is a pressing environmental issue worldwide. This is especially observed in developing countries, where the main concern is to provide the service of waste collection, usually lacking a formal recycling program. Instead, recycling is often conducted by an informal sector composed of recyclers-by-trade. What has been found is that the current informal recycling sector - if approached differently - can offer a financially viable and an environmentally and culturally sound solution. A case study approach was chosen and questionnaires were conducted with recyclers-by-trade and dealers in Cali, Colombia. An interview was conducted with the President of the Recyclers' Association of Bogotá, Colombia. A normative system is proposed as an alternative context-based solution in developing countries that focuses on the inclusion of organized recyclers-by-trade into the formal solid waste management in order to increase recycling rates, extend the lifespan of landfills and improve the living and working conditions of this informal recycling sector.