By Abdullahi Lukman
Kenya’s waste pickers have called for formal recognition and inclusion in the upcoming global plastics treaty negotiations, set to take place in Geneva from August 5 to 14 during the second session of the fifth Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.2).
Speaking in Nairobi on July 31, Brian Gisore Nyabuti, Chairperson of the Kenya National Waste Pickers Welfare Association, urged world leaders to ensure that the voices of waste pickers—who work on the frontlines of plastic pollution—are heard and integrated into treaty decisions.
Gisore demanded a legally binding and inclusive treaty that protects the rights, health, and livelihoods of waste pickers, advocating for their formal recognition and improved working conditions.
He emphasized that Kenyan waste pickers recover up to 60% of plastic waste, yet continue to work without protective gear, fair wages, or social protections.
“We collect plastics from dumpsites like Dandora and city streets, but remain invisible in policy-making.
This must change,” Gisore said.
He called for a just transition that includes fair pay, access to healthcare, and integration into formal waste systems, supported by funding from Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes.
Gisore also warned against market-driven approaches such as plastic credits, arguing they commodify labour and exclude those most impacted by plastic waste.
He urged negotiators to adopt equity- and justice-based solutions, and to ensure meaningful participation of waste pickers in all stages of treaty discussions.
INC-5.2 is expected to be the final round of negotiations to establish a legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution, following an incomplete session in Busan last year.
Intersessional talks since then have aimed to bridge divides and move the process forward.
