Assessment of workplace conditions and hazards in a recycling sorting cooperative plant in São Paulo, Brazil

Objective: To present occupational and environmental conditions on a Brazilian recycling sorting plant. Methods: Eighteen visits to a ragpickers’ cooperative facility that operates in partnership with the Municipal Recycling Program in São Paulo were conducted. Data collected through a survey and participant observation include: a) work organization, workplace occupational and environmental conditions; b) living and working conditions of ragpickers. Results: The cooperative is a warehouse where recyclables are sorted from a conveyor belt, pressed, packed in bales, stored, and finally sold to recycling industries. Sorting is done by 33 members. Some of the hazards identified include: ventilation is precarious, machinery is obsolete, wastes -such as decaying food, sanitary papers, dead animals, sharp objects, and chemicals- are mixed with recyclables. Dirty recyclables and junk are spread everywhere, difficulting movement and attracting disease vectors (rodents, pigeons and insects). 42.4% (14) of the rag pickers reported that they never suffered an accident; 24.2% (8) reported falls; 39.4% (13) serious cuts by glass in hands and limbs; 24.2% (8) superficial cuts and 12.1% (4) needle stick injuries. Physical and verbal aggression, finger injury, dog bite, electric shock, and skin irritation by printer toner powder were also reported. Conclusion:  Rag pickers were injured by a variety of sources and had high rates of workplace injuries. Physical, biological, chemical and ergonomic hazards as well as environmental health impacts were identified, caused by inappropriate sorting by consumers, poor work organization, poor training, old technology, and inadequate use of personal protective equipment.