Activities of scavengers and itinerant buyers in Greater Accra, Ghana

Abstract This article examines activities of scavengers in the waste management sector in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Data on socioeconomic activities and demographic characteristics of scavengers were obtained using a questionnaire survey. The questionnaire included basic information such as gender, age, level of education, residential status, number of working hours, alternative occupation, income level, type of material recovered, source of the material, processing of material, peak seasons for each material and uses of recovered material. Scavenging in Greater Accra is carried out mainly at landfill sites and commercial areas of the city, and is male dominated. Materials recovered include plastics and metals such as iron, copper and aluminium. On the average, scavengers earn between US $7 and US $17 per day depending on items recovered and market trends. Their average daily earnings surpass the US $1 a day target for poverty reduction under the Millennium Development Goals. The activities of scavengers contribute to waste recovery and recycling through their sorting and cleaning activities. Local authorities in Ghana could improve waste recycling and resource utilization if they recognize scavengers of waste materials as important stakeholders in the waste management sector.