South Africa has a recycling rate of just under 60 percent, according to industry studies -- a statistic that puts it on par with some European nations. But here, recycling is done by an informal network called "reclaimers" -- thousands of men and women who sift through trash to identify recyclables to sell. This vast, high-labor system fits with the nation's high unemployment rate, and is, experts argue, a different model of innovation. Anita Powell reports from Johannesburg.
It's a Messy Job, And They Do It: South Africa's 'Reclaimers' Recycle Bulk of Nation's Waste
- By Anita Powell
