Kenya’s Hidden Recyclers: Why Informal Waste Pickers Deserve a Seat at the Circular Economy Table

Every morning before sunrise, men and women walk into the Dandora dumpsite in Kenya with sacks and hooks. They move through fresh piles of waste and pick out bottles, bags and cartons before the heat rises. They know which items hold value, and they work fast to reach them before others do. Many of them repeat this routine six days a week because it gives them a daily income.

Similar scenes unfold in Korogocho and Mathare, where small groups wait near cages or collection points for trucks to arrive. They bend over piles of waste, sort plastics by type, and sell them to small traders. This process, which looks simple on the surface, demands skill, long hours and constant exposu re to smoke, sharp objects and heavy traffic; a perfect illustration of how much labour is required for an almost seamless recycling chain.

The scale of this daily effort in Kenya mirrors a global surge in waste generation. The world now produces more than two billion tonnes of solid waste each year, according to the World Bank’s What a Waste 2.0 study. The report adds that this number could reach 3.4 billion tonnes by 2050 if countries do not shift how they manage waste.

To put this into perspective, 3.4 billion tonnes is roughly equivalent to 442 Great Pyramids of Giza. Worse still, plastics form a growing share of this waste, especially in cities. Given these global numbers, countries should clearly rethink how they use and reuse materials.

Kenya, for instance, produces about 22,000 tonnes of waste each day, according to estimates from the National Environmental Management Authority, with plastics accounting for a clear share of this total. People who work at dumpsites and informal collection points keep large amounts of this plastic circulating. Hence, the question: Should a system that depends on them continue to run without them having a real place in it? 

In interviews with Sustainable Packaging Middle East & Africa (SPMEA) Magazine, Edgar Mulei of the Kenya Plastics Pact, Vincent Majoni of Whispers Champions Youth Initiative, and Mboya Washington of YouthPrinua shared insights on waste policy, daily realities at collection points, and the changes needed to support Kenya’s informal collectors.

Kenya’s plastic problem and policy progress

Kenya has taken steps to address plastic pollution, particularly through the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework. The government enacted the Sustainable Waste Management (Extended Producer Responsibility) Regulations 2022, which came into effect in 2024, to strengthen recycling. These rules require producers of plastic packaging to set up collection systems, register with compliance schemes, and report to NEMA on product volumes and recyclability.

EPR is intended to ensure that companies that produce plastic take responsibility for collecting and recycling their products. Ideally, this system should provide funding and infrastructure for recyclers and waste collectors. However, despite these policies, informal waste pickers often miss out.

“Waste pickers are the real source of raw material for recyclers. They reduce costs for formal waste management, yet most of the profit goes to brokers. Without legal recognition and support, pickers remain at the bottom of the chain,” Edgar Mulei, a member of the Kenya Plastics Pact Steering Committee, tells SPMEA Magazine.

“Formalizing comes with costs and procedures that small collectors cannot manage. Even when policies aim to include them, practical barriers prevent real access,” Mulei adds. Limited awareness of the EPR framework, insufficient infrastructure, and reliance on middlemen further reduce pickers’ opportunities to benefit directly.

Globally, countries like Brazil and India have found ways to integrate informal waste workers into formal recycling systems. Simple measures, such as forming cooperatives, providing shared infrastructure, and offering direct payment mechanisms, have helped recognize pickers’ contribution while increasing recycling rates. Kenya can learn from these examples by making EPR funds reach the people doing the collection, not just intermediaries.

Ground-level realities: Waste pickers as the backbone

How waste pickers keep plastics in circulation

Mboya Washington, founder of YouthPrinua Organization, begins his day before sunrise, walking through the narrow paths of Mathare and Ruaraka to check the collection cages his team has set up. These cages serve as organized collection points where informal waste pickers can sort plastics, bottles, and cardboard safely before selling them to recyclers. “We provide structure and safety for pickers, so they can access fair prices for the materials they collect,” Washington explains.

Waste pickers move swiftly with their sacks, expertly identifying valuable plastics while braving smoke, sharp objects, and heavy traffic six days a week. Washington notes that women handle much of the sorting, while young men carry heavier loads to waiting trucks.

Youth make up a significant portion of the workforce, and their local knowledge of bins and collection routes is crucial. Washington points out, “By linking pickers directly to recyclers and ensuring fair prices, we cut out middlemen who take most of the profit. This allows pickers to earn steady income and support their families.”

The program also provides training, teaching pickers financial literacy and safe waste-handling practices. Washington emphasizes that once informal collectors have structure and support, what was once survival work transforms into dignified green employment. “When we recognize the work of waste pickers, it not only strengthens their livelihoods but also benefits the economy and the environment,” he adds.

Beyond collection: Empowerment and community integration

In Kibera, Vincent Majoni, founder of Whispers Champions Youth Initiative, takes a broader approach by linking waste collection to youth empowerment, community projects, and social inclusion. Majoni’s team runs the #PlasticsChampionsLeague campaign, which combines environmental action with sports and youth empowerment. “We use football and community clean-ups to give young people purpose and show that waste work has value,” he explains.

The initiative targets youth who would otherwise face unemployment or risky behaviors. While some collect plastics from streets and informal sites, others clear debris and transform neglected areas into green spaces or small gardens. Majoni notes that this approach strengthens food security and promotes community ownership, giving local youth a sense of pride and responsibility.

Pickers linked to Majoni’s initiative gain consistent income, leadership opportunities, and access to training in sorting, upcycling, and digital tools for tracking materials. The campaign also raises public awareness about the importance of waste pickers, showing community members that these workers are essential to maintaining clean neighborhoods and a functioning recycling system. Majoni emphasizes that recognition and dignity are as critical as income: “People begin to respect the work when they see the effort, the organization, and the results in their community.”

Informal waste pickers remain the backbone of the system, keeping materials in circulation and supporting livelihoods. Washington and Majoni show that structured interventions, recognition, and community engagement can transform this work into a stable, respected, and integral part of Kenya’s circular economy.

Bridging the gap: Policy meets practice

The Kenya Plastics Pact (KPP) is actively working to engage and support informal collectors. Nahashon Muchiri from the Pact Secretariat explains that the initiative includes informal waste sector representatives through NGOs, giving them a voice on the Steering Committee.

The Pact’s strategic roadmap to 2030 explicitly targets the integration and expansion of the informal recycling sector within national recycling goals. Programs to improve working conditions and livelihoods for pickers are being developed, including those for accreditation, registration, and training.

The Pact also collaborates closely with the Ministry of Environment and EPR implementers, ensuring that collectors participate in formal waste management discussions at both national and county levels. Gender inclusion remains a priority, with a Gender Mainstreaming Toolkit designed to integrate women, who make up a significant portion of the workforce, into the system.

However, even with frameworks in place, Kenya’s waste policies often fail to reach the people doing the work on the ground. Edgar Mulei, member of the KPP Steering Committee, points out that formal regulations assume structured businesses, leaving individual waste pickers excluded. “Most EPR systems were designed for companies that can report, invoice, and meet compliance standards. Informal collectors operate differently, often in loose networks. That’s why they rarely benefit from the system despite collecting the majority of plastics,” he explains.

The current setup allows brokers to capture the most value. Waste pickers sell materials to local aggregators, who then sell to brokers connected to formal recyclers. Edgar notes that brokers act as gatekeepers to the formal system, often taking profits that could otherwise go to pickers. “Without collective organization or legal recognition, pickers cannot negotiate prices or access EPR funds. They remain invisible to both policymakers and producers,” he adds.

Legal and practical challenges complicate formalization further. Registration fees, licensing requirements, and tax obligations are barriers for individuals earning daily wages. Even when communities attempt to form cooperatives or CBOs, limited institutional support makes it difficult to comply with regulations or access training and infrastructure. County governments sometimes lack the capacity or coordination to integrate informal collectors into municipal waste management.

Despite these challenges, examples from other countries show how inclusion can work. In the Philippines, local governments have partnered with waste picker cooperatives to provide access to collection hubs, protective equipment, and direct sales to recyclers. This approach improves income transparency while strengthening the efficiency of municipal recycling programs.

Edgar emphasizes that bridging the gap requires both structural adjustments and capacity-building. Simplifying EPR procedures for community-level groups, providing seed funding, and ensuring that collection fees reach registered picker groups could transform livelihoods. “Policy alone is not enough,” he says. “We need support systems, training, and infrastructure to connect what is written on paper to what happens on the ground.”

Without these measures, Kenya risks maintaining a system that depends on informal waste pickers but fails to recognize or reward their contribution.

The way forward: Shared responsibility

Creating a fair and functional recycling system in Kenya requires cooperation across all levels. Edgar Mulei stresses that informal waste pickers must be formally recognized and included in Extended Producer Responsibility programs. “If collection fees from producers reach organized picker groups, it will change livelihoods instantly,” he says. He adds that supporting community-based organizations with training, digital tools, and access to shared infrastructure can help informal collectors move from survival work to dignified employment.

Mboya Washington highlights the importance of structuring on-the-ground collection systems. YouthPrinua works by linking pickers to verified recyclers and providing training on safe handling and financial management. “When pickers know where their materials go and how to sell them fairly, their work becomes sustainable, and communities benefit from cleaner neighborhoods,” he explains. Washington emphasizes that consistent income and safe working conditions build trust and encourage youth and women to participate in recycling.

Vincent Majoni focuses on combining waste collection with community engagement. His #PlasticsChampionsLeague campaign shows that social activities like football matches, clean-ups, and community gardens can reinforce the value of recycling. “We want youth and pickers to see that their work matters and that they are part of a system that improves their community,” he says. Majoni also stresses that public awareness campaigns are key to restoring dignity and respect for waste pickers.

Together, the respondents point to a set of practical steps: formal recognition of pickers, support for cooperatives and CBOs, transparent pricing, training and infrastructure, digital systems for tracking materials and payments, and community engagement to promote awareness and inclusion.

Kenya’s circular economy can thrive only if those at the base of the system are empowered and visible. The country can build a system that works for both people and the environment by connecting policy to practice, providing support where it is needed most, and valuing every hand that keeps plastics in circulation.

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