Vehicles for people or people for vehicles : issues in waste collection

The livelihoods of a great number of poor people in low-income countries rely on collecting and recycling solid waste. Small waste collection vehicles (SWCVs) such as wheelbarrows and cycle carts play a vital role, enabling individuals to transport more waste, faster, further and with greater ease and safety. However, many are inappropriately designed, giving rise to difficulty, danger and expense to users.
This book, based on interim research findings of a DFID funded project, examines SWCVs from social, technical and institutional angles, focusing on users but acknowledging the important linkages between different issues. The book considers in some depth the process of user consultation in vehicle design. Fieldwork undertaken in five low- and middle-income countries combines with literature to provide extensive illustrated case-study material.
The literature review discloses information relating to the technical aspects of vehicles, but very little relating to the social and institutional aspects. The findings from fieldwork emphasize the importance of viewing vehicles not in isolation, but in their social and institutional context, however, a number of technical issues still need to be resolved. These include balancing cost with quality, matching vehicle design with other stages of waste management (i.e. collection, transfer and disposal points) and selecting appropriate materials and design for particular situations and conditions.
The lack of long-term planning by authorities responsible for providing vehicles is in part responsible for the many low-cost, low-quality SWCVs used on the streets at present. Greater capital investment could lead to savings over the long term as well as better vehicles for workers.