For Petco, bringing dignity to waste pickers and the important work they do is a high priority. By providing equipment and training support, we aim to transform both how they do their work and how they are received by the public.

As players in the collection and recycling value chain, they contribute both environmentally and economically by selling materials to buy-back centres and ultimately helping to divert precious recyclable materials from landfills.

Recently, we paid a visit to one of our municipal partners, Lepelle-Nkumpi Local Municipality in Limpopo province, to support its community of waste pickers at the Lebowakgomo Landfill Site. On the day, we handed out 30 sets of personal protective equipment (PPE) to help protect them from potential hazards.

A representative for the project says, "Petco's support has been a game-changer for us, ensuring our safety with the provision of PPE. This assistance has empowered our community and enhanced the efficiency of our waste-picking efforts at the Lebowakgomo Landfill Site."

Historically, as part of the informal sector, waste pickers have not always had the support and recognition their efforts deserve. In many countries, they are not legally recognised and suffer from poor working conditions and lack of social protection.

 In South Africa, there is a strong move, driven by legislation and supported by producer responsibility organisations like Petco, to integrate waste pickers into the formal collection and recycling value chain.

 While a lot still needs to be done, Petco is committed to changing negative public perceptions of their work, and providing the guidance, equipment and other kinds of support waste pickers might need to play their part in keeping our towns and cities clean.

As consumers we also have a role to play in helping waste pickers perform their work with greater dignity, by separating our recyclables and rinsing them before they go into a bag on bin day. This allows waste pickers to collect those recyclables with greater ease and without needing to dig through food scraps and other wet waste to find them.