REVISTA INGENIO
https://doi.org/10.29166/ingenio.v7i2.6738 pISSN 2588-0829
2024 Universidad Central del Ecuador eISSN 2697-3243
CC BY-NC 4.0 —Licencia Creative Commons Reconocimiento-NoComercial 4.0 Internacional vicedecanat.ng@uce.edu.ec
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Solid waste management represents a challenge for contemporary cities because it involves
various levels of management and processing. At the base of the recycling pyramid, the cru-
cial role of informal recyclers stands out, whose work improves the environmental condi-
tions of cities. Despite its valuable contribution, informality has marked this profession, with
deplorable working conditions at a social and economic level and low occupational safety.
Recyclers roam the city in search of as much recyclable material as possible, so they can later
sell it and continue the chain. However, the operational process of the recyclers is striking due
to the inadequate conditions, in terms of personal protection and mobilization. Traditionally,
they move with a cart, a product intended for transporting heavy loads over short distances.
However, it is used by waste pickers to travel long distances during the daily working day.
Through the methodology of early and continuous validation for product design, a vehicle
adapted for the work of informal recyclers in the city of Ambato is proposed. It shows a valua-
ble vision of addressing management in an inclusive, eective way for the city, with adequate
working conditions at the operational level for waste pickers.
La gestión de residuos sólidos representa un reto para las ciudades contemporáneas porque
implica varios niveles de gestión y procesamiento. En la base de la pirámide del reciclaje, se
destaca el papel crucial de los recicladores informales, cuyo trabajo mejora las condiciones
ambientales de las ciudades. A pesar de su valioso aporte, la informalidad ha marcado esta
profesión, con condiciones laborales deplorables a nivel social y económico y baja seguridad
laboral. Los recicladores recorren la ciudad en busca de la mayor cantidad de material reci-
clable posible, para luego venderlo y continuar la cadena. Sin embargo, llama la atención el
proceso operativo de los recicladores debido a las inadecuadas condiciones, en términos de
protección personal y movilización. Tradicionalmente, se desplazan con un carro, un produc-
to destinado al transporte de cargas pesadas en distancias cortas. Sin embargo, es utilizado
por los recicladores para recorrer largas distancias durante la jornada laboral diaria. A través
de la metodología de validación temprana y continua para el diseño de productos, se propone
un vehículo adaptado para el trabajo de los recicladores informales en la ciudad de Ambato.
Muestra una valiosa visión de abordar la gestión de manera inclusiva, efectiva para la ciudad,
con condiciones laborales adecuadas a nivel operativo para los recicladores.
key words
Informal waste pickers, urban mobility,
early validation, product design.
article history
Received: 22/4/2024
Received aer review: 7/5/2024
Accepted: 16/5/2024
Published: 15/6/2024
palabras clave
Recicladores informales, movilidad urba-
na, validación temprana, diseño de pro-
duct, innovación.
Ecuador
Roberto Moya1 1 Universidad Técnica de Ambato, Ambato-Ecuador, rc.moya@uta.edu.ec
Andrea Goyes1 1 Universidad Técnica de Ambato, Ambato-Ecuador, ac.goyes@uta.edu.ec
Ingrid Pardo 1 1 Corporación de Desarrollo de Ambato y Tungurahua, Ambato-Ecuador, idennise28@gmail.com
1. INTRODUCTION
Waste and solid waste, commonly known as gar-
bage, are a ubiquitous reality in contemporary so-
ciety. These products, generated by human activity,
are considered useless, undesirable, or disposable,
representing a global challenge of great concern.
Their value is practically nil for those who dispose
of them, however, it has become one of the biggest
concerns worldwide, due to its impacts on health,
the environment, and the economy [1].
Large amounts of waste are a reality in both devel-
oped and developing countries, as they are propor-
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A Novel Proposal for an Adapted Vehicle for Informal Waste Pickers in Ambato – Ecuador
tional to population growth and industrial progress
[2]. Consumption rates increase solid waste produc-
tion [3], due to the linear model of extracting, pro-
ducing, using, and disposing [4].
Recycling represents an eminent option to reduce
the negative externalities associated with the ac-
cumulation of waste and its improper disposal [5].
Waste pickers or waste collectors make up the base
of the pyramid workforce in any informal recy-
cling sector and will be an integral part of the cir-
cular economy of the global south in any realistic
near-future scenario [6]. Waste management and
recycling in these economies are characterized by
a high degree of informality, so there is an urgent
need to nd models to partner with this sector in an
eective, scalable, sustainable way [7], and socially
inclusive [8].
The adjective "informal" refers to those workers
who do not have labor rights [9]. In most cases, in-
formal waste recycling is carried out by poor, dis-
advantaged, vulnerable, and/or marginalized social
groups who often turn to garbage collection as an
adaptive response to generate income [10].
In many developing and transition countries, the
collection of recyclable materials from waste fol-
lows a complex process involving interconnected
systems at dierent levels. In this context, the infor-
mal sector emerges as a fundamental element in the
recycling cycle, being inuenced by several factors
such as the lack of government regulation, the eco-
nomic opportunities available, the interaction with
the industry, and the social characteristics of these
areas. Overall, this involvement of the informal sec-
tor in the recycling process has a positive impact
on the economic, social, and environmental aspects
of the urban environment [8]. Increasingly, waste
pickers are being recognized for their valuable con-
tributions to sustainability and urban development.
In cities without household collection or munici-
pal recycling systems, waste pickers are important
players in addressing the challenge of the growing
amount of solid waste [11].
Waste collection is a kind of self-employment, or
in turn it is part of a group of organized recyclers
who form associations. In the studio "What Does It
Mean to Have a Dirty and Informal Job? The Case
of Waste Pickers in the Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil"
highlights that autonomy is essential to distinguish
between waste pickers who work individually and
those who work in organized groups. Individual
workers have the freedom to manage their work
according to their criteria, prioritizing daily sub-
sistence and the sale of the materials collected. In
contrast, waste pickers employed by organizations
receive a regular salary and follow set schedules.
While the workload of individuals depends on the
amount of waste collected on the street, that of or-
ganized workers is largely determined by the vol-
umes of municipal waste allocated to organizations
through agreements with local authorities and waste
pickers' groups themselves [12].
In many countries in the Global South, a signicant
proportion of waste collection activity is carried out
by informal workers, whose work is not subject to
state regulations or protected by law [13]. These
individuals typically collect unwanted materials di-
rectly from homes, assorted public spaces, industri-
al facilities, commercial areas, or municipal waste
disposal sites. Some waste pickers, especially those
who have established cooperatives, also perform
waste sorting functions in warehouses [14].
Within the national context, the study titled "Per-
spectives of Informal Street Waste Pickers in Loja,
Ecuador" oers signicant insights into the subject
matter. Findings reveal distinct patterns in waste
collection behaviors among genders, with men pre-
dominantly active during the night and women more
active during the daytime. Moreover, individuals af-
liated with waste picker associations demonstrate
longer tenure in the recycling eld compared to their
independent counterparts. The study highlights that
59% of participants collect materials solely from
streets, while 33% collect from streets and garbage
containers, and 8% solely from containers. Notably,
container collection points attract older individuals,
while younger ones tend to roam the streets. How-
ever, it's concerning that neither the youth nor the
elderly were observed to wear adequate protective
gear such as boots, gloves, or coveralls. The vast
majority of waste pickers sell their collected materi-
als to city recycling centers, with only a minor frac-
tion engaging with private recycling buyers [15].
In terms of working hours, waste pickers work be-
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Moya R., et al.
tween 3 to 4 days a week, with 4 to 8 hours a day.
One of the main challenges they face is the need to
travel as many streets in the shortest time as possi-
ble to collect material, which involves considerable
distances carrying the materials. In addition, the
majority of respondents are not aliated with any
association [15]. Compared to the study "Charac-
teristics of Waste Pickers in Nakuru and Thika Mu-
nicipal Dumpsites in Kenya" which mentions that
waste pickers can work between 9 and 12 hours per
day [16], it is possible to establish that in the nation-
al context it is equal to the working day of a formal
job, while in Africa it exceeds 8 hours a day.
The main materials that are recycled are water or
soft drink bottles, white paper, newspapers, card-
board [17], copper [16], iron, glass, aluminum, and
e-waste [18]. The mobilization of recycled material
is carried out, mostly, using carts, which are usually
metal or wooden structures equipped with wheels
to transport and load the materials. These carts are
crucial instruments that signicantly impact the
physical work of waste pickers, as they inuence
the amount and variety of materials they can col-
lect, as well as the distance they can travel to carry
out their work [19].
In the study "Design and Construction of a Proto-
type of a Cargo Vehicle for the Use of the Informal
Recycler - A Proposal for Medellín" it is mentioned
that the cart used by the informal recyclers of the
city is mostly built with wood, which has a bear-
ing system that causes vibrations on the body of the
operator when pushed or pulled on the pavement.
as it lacks cushioning to absorb the energy gener-
ated during displacements [20]. The handling con-
ditions and structure of the truck negatively impact
the health of the recycler [21]. In most cases, the
distances are long to travel and exhausting, as they
move with the load of materials they collect while
wandering [22]. Hidalgo-Crespo et al. (2023), in a
study carried out in the Ecuadorian city of Guaya-
quil, mention that the greatest diculty identied
is that associated with the movement of recyclable
waste and walking long distances. Therefore, the
productive development of the sector depends on
the skills, physical capacities and tools available to
collect the largest amount of material in the shortest
time [23].
In the study titled "Waste pickers and cities" [11]
highlights the importance of organization in im-
proving the livelihoods of waste pickers and their
integration into urban waste management systems.
Examples from cities such as Belo Horizonte, Bo-
gotá and Pune illustrate how waste pickers' orga-
nizations ght for access to and legitimization of
waste as a resource for livelihoods. In addition, it
demonstrates how waste pickers generate value for
their urban communities. Municipalities across Lat-
in America have responded to waste pickers' activ-
ism by embracing promises of inclusion, both eco-
nomically and in healthy working conditions [22],
[24].
In this context, where the work of waste pickers is
crucial for urban sustainability in Latin American
cities and given the imperative need to improve
their working conditions, this document presents
a proposal for a vehicle designed specically for
waste pickers in the city of Ambato. Based on in-
dustrial design principles, the main objective is to
optimize your work, increase safety and eciency
in the collection of recyclable materials, while re-
ducing the physical burden. This initiative seeks to
improve the quality of waste pickers' work, increase
their productivity, and contribute to the care of the
urban environment.
2. METHOD
In this study, a comprehensive approach was adopt-
ed to address the development of a solution propos-
al to improve the sustainable mobility of informal
waste pickers in Ambato. The process was struc-
tured in several stages, which are detailed below,
along with tables that provide an overview of each
phase and its results.
-
tives
The rst stage was to gain a thorough understand-
ing of the mobility problem faced by informal waste
pickers in Ambato. Interviews with waste pickers,
eld observations, and data analysis on working
conditions and mobility constraints were conduct-
ed. The main objectives were to identify the spe-
cic needs and challenges of waste pickers and to
establish clear criteria for the development of the
mobility solution.
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A Novel Proposal for an Adapted Vehicle for Informal Waste Pickers in Ambato – Ecuador
At this stage, an identication of the problem was
carried out and clear objectives were established for
the development of the mobility solution. Table 1
summarizes the measurable objectives set for the
study.
Table 1.
Problem Denition and Aims
A search was carried out using an existing typology
analysis tool to identify best practices in sustainable
mobility and product design aimed at social inclu-
sion. Data on emerging technologies, innovative
materials, and relevant case studies were collect-
ed. In addition, models adapted from Clientograma
templates were used to gain an in-depth understand-
ing of the needs and preferences of waste pickers, as
well as the socioeconomic and environmental con-
text in which they operate.
During this phase, data was collected on emerging
technologies, innovative materials, and locally and
internationally relevant case studies. Table 2 sum-
marizes the key results of this phase.
Table 2.
Research and Analysis
2.3. Ideation and Prototyping
Based on the ndings of research and analysis, a
phase of creative idea generation and prototyping
was initiated. Controlled brainstorming sessions
and participatory design workshops were conduct-
ed, using information collected from waste pick-
ers. During this process, various mobility solutions
were explored, from adapted vehicles to alternative
transport systems, to identify the most promising
concepts. Subsequently, conceptual, and function-
al prototypes were developed using 3D modeling
tools and digital fabrication technologies. These
prototypes were subjected to preliminary tests to
gather feedback from users, the results of which are
summarized in Table 3.
Table 3.
Ideation and Prototyping
Figure 1.
Prototyping of preliminary tests, own elaboration
2022
Progress was made in the development of function-
al prototypes for the selected mobility solutions, us-
ing 3D modeling tools and digital fabrication tech-
nologies to create full-scale and full-size models.
These prototypes underwent rigorous testing under
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Moya R., et al.
real-world working conditions, with the participa-
tion of recyclers, to gather feedback and feedback
to improve both the design and functionality of the
models.
Subsequently, the prototypes were evaluated ac-
cording to predened criteria, which included as-
pects such as ease of use, durability, safety, and
eciency in the collection of recyclable materials.
Additional feedback was collected from users and
iterative adjustments were made to rene the design
and functionality of the mobility solutions. During
this process, simplicity, accessibility, and sustain-
ability were prioritized as fundamental aspects of
the nal design. Table 4 summarizes the results of
this phase.
Table 4.
Evaluation of technical requirements
Figure 2.
Evaluation Criteria Design Proposal, own elabora-
tion 2022
The prototypes underwent a thorough evaluation
based on predened criteria, including aspects such
as ease of use, durability, safety, and eciency in
the collection of recyclable materials. Iterative
tweaks and renements were made in response to
user feedback and results obtained during testing. In
the nal design of the mobility solution, simplicity,
accessibility, and sustainability were prioritized.
Once the development and renement process was
concluded, the mobility solution was implemented
in close collaboration with local authorities and rel-
evant community organizations. A continuous mon-
itoring system was established to assess the impact
of the solution and adjust as needed. Community
participation in the management and maintenance
of the mobility solution was actively encouraged.
The results of this phase are summarized in Table 5.
Table 5.
Evaluation of technical criteria
Figure 3.
Evaluation results, own elaboration 2022
2.6. Implementation and Monitoring
Once the development process was concluded, the
mobility solution proposal was implemented at the
simulation level. A continuous monitoring system
was established to assess the impact of the proposal
on the lives of waste pickers and adjust as needed
to ensure its eectiveness at the project level. The
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A Novel Proposal for an Adapted Vehicle for Informal Waste Pickers in Ambato – Ecuador
results of this phase are summarized in Table 6 (Ap-
pendix Table 6).
Figure 4.
Monitoring and adjustments, own elaboration 2022
3. DISCUSSION
The creation of a sustainable mobility solution for
informal waste pickers in Ambato, merging indus-
trial design with community needs, marks a signif-
icant step towards improving working conditions
and eciency in the collection of recyclable materi-
als. The integration of these elements has generated
a comprehensive proposal that eectively address-
es the specic challenges faced by this vulnerable
group.
The potential impact of this solution on the quali-
ty of life of waste pickers and the reduction of the
environmental impact derived from waste manage-
ment is seen as a key aspect in the discussion. It
highlights the active participation of the community
at all stages of the development process, ensuring
the relevance and acceptance of the proposal. How-
ever, to ensure economic viability and long-term
sustainability, a holistic approach involving various
stakeholders, including local authorities and com-
munity-based organizations, is required.
4. CONCLUSIONS
This study highlights the value of the industrial
design approach in solving mobility problems for
informal waste pickers. The integration of this ap-
proach with the specic needs of the community
has generated an innovative proposal that not only
addresses mobility limitations but also improves
working conditions and promotes environmental
sustainability in Ambato.
The active participation of the community through-
out the design process has been essential to ensure
the relevance and acceptance of the proposed solu-
tion. However, to ensure its long-term viability, it
is crucial to involve local authorities and other rel-
evant stakeholders in the ongoing implementation
and maintenance of the solution. This collaborative
approach reects industrial design's commitment
to creating user-centered solutions that eectively
respond to the real needs of the community. Ulti-
mately, this research highlights the potential of in-
dustrial design as a powerful tool to promote more
inclusive, equitable, and sustainable development
in our cities.
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Appendix
Table 6.
Monitoring and Adjustments
