Magister Public Health - MPH / Background: Waste picking is not a new phenomenon in South Africa and is becoming
increasingly prevalent, with rising numbers of waste pickers operating on landfills and on the
streets. Although waste pickers are recognised as making an important contribution to waste
management systems in South Africa, they remain at the lowest level of the waste collection
and disposal hierarchy. Operating on the fringes of the formal economy with low and generally
erratic income, they have limited access to safe and nutritious food. Many waste pickers are
therefore prone to micronutrient malnutrition and macronutrient malnutrition. Food insecurity
is a constant threat. Few studies have been conducted on this vulnerable group of people, with
relatively little known about their eating habits and the impact thereof on their health. The aim
of this study was to assess the dietary intake, food (in)security and nutritional status of waste
pickers in South Africa, with a specific focus on landfill waste pickers.
Study population and design: This constitutes a secondary study which builds on an earlier
(primary) study conducted among 409 landfill waste pickers on nine landfill sites in four
provinces in South Africa. Data was obtained from a cross-sectional quantitative survey
conducted during the primary study which assessed the food (in)security, anthropometric status
and dietary intake of waste pickers. In this study, group discussions were also conducted with
waste pickers to gain more insight into activities and conditions on the landfill sites.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uwc/oai:etd.uwc.ac.za:11394/7060 |
| Date | January 2019 |
| Creators | Williams, Joy Desire' |
| Contributors | Swart, Rina |
| Publisher | University of the Western Cape |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | University of the Western Cape |
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