Join NAWPA
Together, we can amplify the voice of waste pickers!
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NAWPA connects organizations that work with and represent informal waste pickers in the United States and Canada*. We are a united voice defending the rights of waste pickers to work and to access materials.
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Organizing demonstrates the value of community. When someone belongs to an association or a union, it says your work matters—you matter. For isolated or marginalized workers, that’s a lifeline.
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By forming an alliance, we aim to enlarge that community and amplify the voice of waste pickers. At the core of our work is a commitment to the idea that any effort to support waste pickers will only be effective with waste picker involvement from the outset.
* Mexico is an important part of North America. However, waste picker organizations there are invited to engage with Red Latinoamericano de Recicladores (RED LACRE).
Benefits of joining NAWPA
NAWPA affiliates benefit from the exchange of knowledge and ideas, networking and mentorship. Affiliates gain access to shared resources, funding and advocacy tools, as well as collective and bilateral strategies for negotiations.
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“This work is a concrete articulation of a different way to be in the world—a participatory practice that cares about people and about materials.”
~ Ryan Castalia, Sure We Can
Who Can Join
Our affiliates take many forms, but we all share a commitment to building the power and voice of waste pickers to achieve a just transition to inclusive circular economy systems.
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Organizations and associations that share this commitment are invited to join our alliance.
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Meet NAWPA’s current affiliates
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We advocate for policies and programs that benefit waste pickers, including effective, inclusive deposit return systems (bottle bills) and other forms of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Some of our members have created depots that rely on the expertise of informal waste pickers while providing consistent low-barrier income. Affiliates also advocate for policies and programs related to poverty reduction, social protections and housing, since these issues impact their constituents.
Photo: Ground Score/The People's Depot, Brodie Cass Talbott
Our organizations represent diversity in a pure form—we represent everyone who wants to do this work.
~Kris Brown, Ground Score Association
Through our affiliates, we are connected to the International Alliance of Waste Pickers (IAWP), NAWPA is part of the global movement advocating for policies that recognize waste pickers’ environmental and societal contributions. IAWP has recently had a strong voice at the UN Plastics Treaty negotiations, climate change conferences, International Labour Conferences, and at the Vatican during the Fifth World Meeting of Popular Movements.
What Membership Entails
Membership commitments are manageable, and include a willingness to take part in a monthly online meeting to share challenges, opportunities and ideas. There is no fee to belong to NAWPA; affiliation to the IAWP is $25 USD annually.
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Want to learn more about joining NAWPA? Please email us and tell us about your organization to start the conversation.