This film, one of the primary outputs of the broader Turning "Livelihoods to Rubbish?" project, introduces a creative look at the politics of waste in Cape Town, South Africa. This film is designed to highlight the unequal, power-laden relations through which waste circulates, and to offer insight into an industry that is often out of sight. Drawing from interviews with a number of different role players within the waste economy, the film highlights different perspectives on waste in order to call attention to some of the central tensions of the industry. The film situates waste management within a city defined by intense inequality and unevenness, highlighting the perspectives of reclaimers who perform much of the necessary collection of recyclables. Current efforts to formalize waste management and recycling initiatives have implications for informal waste pickers or reclaimers, who do much of the primary work with waste in the global south. Our film subsequently highlights the often fraught relationships between waste reclaimers and the formal waste management sector. The title of the film – Turning Livelihoods to Waste? – is designed to raise a series of questions about ongoing processes of formalization in the waste sector and the implications for those who currently work in the waste sector. Many who work with waste in South Africa work as waste pickers or reclaimers, and they are often subjected to extremely difficult work conditions. Ongoing attempts to formalize these systems threaten their livelihoods, creating new uncertainties and vulnerabilities. At the same time, there are serious questions about whether reclaimers should be expected to work in dangerous conditions, and what sorts of alternate arrangements may be more just and more ecologically sustainable. There is no easy answer to the problem of waste. As such, we show multiple perspectives that are not necessarily complementary. Our intention is not to tell a proscribed story, but rather to allow for different viewpoints to be articulated. Our hope is that viewers will be able to develop their own takeaways from the film and that the film could be used as a springboard for in-class discussions with students around themes such as dignified work, inequality, and waste management. The film provides a visual look at the environments in which waste is found and handled in the city. Combined with sound bites and insights from the role players, we explore the way different people in the city handle waste, for what purpose and for what outcomes.Waste reuse and recycling has become increasingly important to livelihoods, particularly in the Global South. As environmental concerns and awareness of the financial benefits of waste rise, there is growing contestation over who will be allowed to benefit from waste. Formalisation, financialisation, the use of technology to replace labour and shared governance responsibilities are increasing, and this often removes opportunities from the poorest of the poor and typically excludes those who already depend on this resource for their livelihoods, particularly women, youth, and migrants. The research will look at four interventions in South Africa: i) The technologization of waste and opposition from informal recyclers and environmentalists. We do this through an examination of opposition to an incinerator based on the claim that recycling is better for the environment and the poor. ii) The internationalisation of waste finance. We will study a group of actors trying to harness international climate finance to fund this development. iii) Inner city formalization and criminalization of waste collection. The vision of many policy makers and business interests of a 'proper city' often contrasts with the way that informal workers use the city. In trying to establish this vision, informal workers are often excluded from the city, however, many oppose such removals. iv) Cooperative governance for waste management. A government-funded waste awareness campaign seeks to develop partnerships with communities and businesses to improve waste management. However, community participation has challenged the framing of win-win solutions, pushing for greater consideration of social and political concerns. In each case, we seek to understand competing claims over what waste is, who should benefit from its management, and how decisions are made to allocate costs and benefits. We will also examine how changing political and institutional conditions shape different actors' abilities to garner benefits from waste and achieve sustainable pathways out of poverty. This has direct policy implications, as the work will inform policy-makers regarding what types of waste interventions can improve conditions for the urban poor as well as build capacity with waste workers regarding effective strategies for asserting claims to the benefits of waste. Theoretically, we use an urban political ecology framework which draws attention to questions of social justice, inequality, and the connection between political economy and everyday material lives. We situate our research in the context of Southern theory which seeks to understand Southern cities on their own terms, not through theories developed in the Global North. We seek to learn from South Africa because many patterns here are indicative of future possibilities and challenges for other cities in the Global South. Consumption is growing as incomes rise for the middle and upper class, and inequality increases. While problematic in many ways, this polarisation creates opportunities for waste collection. Additionally, South Africa already has progressive regulation, but this results in competing mandates. It suggests that more is needed than simply passing more policies. Finally, South Africa is in many ways at the forefront of technological innovation, but there is a growing trend towards the use of high tech solutions throughout the Global South. For these reasons, there are many lessons which can be learned in South Africa which will have a wider impact. We will will engage with a diverse range of stakeholders, including formal and informal waste practitioners, government officials, and NGOs. We will present our findings in a number of ways, including academic conferences, policy briefings, and workshops with local and regional stakeholders. We will also create a mobile story-telling exhibition to share our findings.

Filming in a variety of geographical contexts in South Africa