More Than the Waste They Collect

Layout by Erizha Jane Santos

In the dim hours before dawn, the basureros, or garbage collectors, move through the dark streets already hard at work. They can be seen pushing carts or carrying sacks filled with many different items, walking the streets. Or in other cases, they are the ones riding the truck that goes around the neighborhood to collect trash from houses. Doing a lot of heavy work without proper gear, and mostly in long sleeves, shorts, and a pair of slippers.  

They perform a necessary job to keep communities clean, yet few truly see and appreciate their work. Instead of seeing the hardworking people behind the work, society often reduces them to the waste they collect, forgetting that their role is as special as any other role in society. 

Some basureros come from marginalized communities with limited access to education. While others are unfortunate in terms of finding job opportunities. This leads them to take on laborious work, such as being exposed to bad odor, hazardous and harmful materials, sharp objects, toxic wastes, and health risks. However, they still choose to stay in the job to provide for their families.  

Discrimination is another hardship they often face in life. People assume that basureros often lack education and skills in life, and that is how they ended up in that field of work, while others think lowly of them due to their appearance. While others would even go to such lengths as avoiding them or dealing with them with little respect. As if their work does not matter at all, but in truth, they are a great help in keeping our communities clean. 

This type of treatment reveals a more significant problem in our society. In our society, everyone is quick to judge people in terms of their occupation and appearance, but people often forget that each and everyone has a different living situation and not everyone is fortunate enough to find a stable job. The work of garbage collectors is as important as any job, since they play a crucial role in maintaining cleanliness, thus preventing the spread of illness.  Without them, communities and neighborhoods would be flooded with waste that might cause health hazards and environmental problems. 

Despite the discrimination basureros face, they still push forward. They demonstrate resilience and determination, knowing that their job makes a difference and can help our communities for the better. 

It is also important that our society should learn not to quickly judge people in terms of job titles and social status. Basureros and everyone in different fields of work should be treated with the same recognition since everyone is contributing in their own ways to make our society and communities a better place.