Across the world, millions of children work as waste pickers, one of the most dangerous and invisible forms of child labor. Many of these children are only five or six years old. Every day, they move through toxic landfills, polluted streets, and unsafe dumpsites to collect plastic bottles, bags, and containers just to earn enough money to survive. While governments and international organizations debate solutions to plastic pollution, these children are already suffering from the effects of our throwaway culture. They pay this price with their health, their education, and their basic human rights (Sara, H, 2022).

A Hidden Crisis

Child waste picking is common in many regions, including Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. Research from 27 countries shows that this problem is widespread and deeply connected to informal waste-management systems around the world (Sara, H, 2022). It is difficult to know the exact number of child waste pickers because they work in the informal sector, where they are not counted in official government records. What regional studies do show is alarming. In Faisalabad, Pakistan, a study of around 250 child waste pickers found that 63% had suffered cuts and injuries, and almost none of them had any kind of protective equipment (Batool, Z., 2015). In Dhaka, Bangladesh, studies comparing child waste pickers with children who do not work found much higher rates of skin problems, breathing difficulties, stomach illnesses, and physical injuries among those involved in waste work (Hossain, M., 2015). Similar findings have been reported in Nigeria, India, Turkey, and across South Asia, suggesting that the exploitation of children in informal waste work is a global pattern.

Human Rights Violations

Child waste pickers experience serious violations of their basic human rights. Their right to protection from hazardous work is ignored, as they often work without gloves, masks, or boots. They handle sharp objects, medical waste, toxic chemicals, and decomposing materials with their bare hands, which puts them at high risk of injuries, infections, and long-term exposure to harmful substances (Sara, H, 2022). Their right to health is also severely affected. Studies show that child waste pickers suffer more respiratory illnesses, skin infections, gastrointestinal problems, and musculoskeletal injuries than children who do not work (Hunt, C. 2001). They are also exposed to heavy metals such as lead and mercury, as well as chemical additives found in plastic waste (Sara, H, 2022). Mental health problems, including stress, anxiety, and social stigma, are also a serious concern, although they are not as well documented (Hunt, C. 2001). Their right to education is often lost, as many child waste pickers miss school or leave education completely in order to earn money. This creates a cycle in which poverty continues from one generation to the next because these children grow up without the education needed for better job opportunities (Merrick, J. 2001).

Conclusion

Child labor in plastic waste picking is a clear moral failure of our global economic system. These children support society’s dependence on disposable plastic products, yet they do so at the cost of their health, safety, and future. They perform valuable environmental work by collecting and sorting materials that would otherwise pollute ecosystems, but they receive no protection, recognition, or fair payment for their labor. The plastic crisis and the child labor crisis are deeply connected. Every piece of plastic that enters the informal recycling system may pass through the hands of a vulnerable child. Solving this problem requires more than technical waste management strategies. It requires a true commitment to children’s rights, social justice, and corporate responsibility.