Occupational Health Risk of Waste Pickers: A Case Study of Northern Region of South Africa

Table 6

Observation of occupational and hazardous exposures at the landfill sites.

	Observations	Landfill A	Landfill B	Landfill C
Common hazardous substance	Waste pickers were exposed to different hazardous chemical substances dumped at the landfill sites	The landfill management has a specially protected area for the dumping of hazardous waste, but some still find their way to the main landfill sites. Most of the waste pickers only had surgical masks (which were believed to be because of the COVID-19 protocol) as against proper N95 masks. These masks cannot protect the waste pickers against the breathing in of toxic fumes. No eye goggle was worn by the waste pickers.	The control measures observed were not adequate in protecting the waste pickers against inhaling toxic substances. Most of the waste pickers did not wear a suitable mask. A few wear surgical masks, and others use fabrics as masks. No eye goggle was worn by the waste pickers.	Waste pickers were mainly on surgical masks and fabrics as PPE. No eye goggle was worn by the waste pickers.
Dust	Building rubbles are used in stabilising the roads, thus creating/emitting dust which the waste pickers are exposed to. Other sources of the airborne dust observed in the landfill sites include dust liberated from waste materials by compactor and dump trucks. Dust may comprise organic matters which may lead to dermatological and respiratory symptoms.	Most of the waste pickers did not wear protective dust masks to protect themselves from inhaling dust while they haul out recyclable waste materials. Water tanker occasionally is used to wet the soil.	Water tanker frequently used in wetting the soil, but waste pickers were still exposed as they do not have the proper PPE	Water tanker occasionally used to stabilise the soil. Waste pickers are not free from exposure as most are not properly kitted.