This article looks at the interconnection between gender and waste. Gender, as a social construct shaping our norms, behaviors, and roles, intertwines with waste, (also) an omnipresent companion of our daily lives. The connection may not be visible at first glance, but simply because, as the UNEP beautifully puts it, “it simply mirrors what is seen elsewhere” (Nakamura 2022). The symbiotic relationship between gender and waste is best illustrated by tracing the different levels of the waste sector. Household, community, operation and policy are all areas involved in a country's waste management and are also intertwined with gender, together forming an unbroken cycle.
This article looks at the interconnection between gender and waste. Gender, as a social construct shaping our norms, behaviors, and roles, intertwines with waste, (also) an omnipresent companion of our daily lives. The connection may not be visible at first glance, but simply because, as the UNEP beautifully puts it, “it simply mirrors what is seen elsewhere” (Nakamura 2022). The symbiotic relationship between gender and waste is best illustrated by tracing the different levels of the waste sector. Household, community, operation and policy are all areas involved in a country's waste management and are also intertwined with gender, together forming an unbroken cycle.
A female informal street waste picker, known as Edjaj in Khmer language [Picture by Miguel Jeronimo].
The household represents the most important level in the waste management chain, even if it is the least formal engagement. It is the source of the waste generation. Women generally manage the household and thus providers for the first part of the waste chain: Which products are purchased? How much waste is generated? How is the waste separated? How is it disposed? It is unpaid care work which is not officially acknowledged. In addition to the household, women are also usually at the forefront of the community. Community initiatives in the area of waste management such as organizing and participating in recycling and clean-up efforts are mostly carried out by women. The strong involvement of women in the waste management of the household and the community exclude them from higher waste management positions. In turn, this limited engagement of men in waste-related activities further isolates them from local social networks, diminishing their sense of responsibility for community well-being.
On the operational level, waste management is generally overseen by the public sector and executed by the private sector. In both sectors, men predominate in higher-ranking positions. This includes roles in city management, landfill operations, and waste collection company management. Conversely, women find themselves underrepresented in management and decision-making positions, often relegated to lower-income roles with limited agency and hazardous working conditions, such as waste pickers (UNEP-IETC et al. 2019). Furthermore, as a side note, exposure to toxic hazards also differs between genders, with women being more exposed due to biological distinctions especially in times of puberty, menstruation, and pregnancy. In many low-income countries, the informal sector plays a pivotal role in waste operation. Women constitute a significant portion of the workforce as waste pickers and landfill separators (Lynn et al. 2017). Moreover, even within this informal sector, women often find themselves in lower-tier roles (such as waste picking) while men dominate the scrap trade and resale of recyclable materials.
The gender-specific allocation do not halt at the political level, where laws and regulations for waste management are drafted that have a significant impact on the well-being of the society. Most legislative and administrative positions in waste management are predominantly held by men. This results in women being excluded from decision-making processes that impact aspects of waste management, including protections and benefits such as social security and higher wages that particularly affect their lives (Nakamura 2022).
In navigating the nexus between gender and waste, it becomes evident that this connection is profound and waste management far from gender-neutral. It manifests in job function divisions, social positioning, and even health considerations. Recognizing and addressing these gender disparities within the waste management sector is crucial for fostering sustainability and equity.
References
UNEP-IETC and GRID-Arendal (2019): Gender and waste nexus: experiences from Bhutan, Mongolia and Nepal.
Lynn, H.; Rech, S.; Samwel-Mantingh, M. (2017): Plastics, Gender and the Environment. Findings of a literature study on the lifecycle of plastics and its impacts on women and men, from production to litter. Women Engage for a Common Future.
Nakamura, T. (2022): Why gender dynamics matter in waste management. Online Available: https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/why-gender-dynamics-matter-waste-management. Last updated: 01/12/2023.