There is a large percent of the population of South Africa working as informal economy workers. Numbers show that around 90,000 South African citizens work as informal recyclers collecting and that these workers recycle close to 90% of all materials that get recycled. Even though they contribute to collecting and recycling impressive rates of waste from the streets and residents, they benefit from a very small amount of income and they are often looked down on by other residents and get ignored by policymakers and the industry. 

ARO wants South Africa to increase its recycling rates and for informal recyclers to be paid for the free labor they provide, as a large contributor to the recycling economy worth a lot of value and monetary gains. ARO organizes these informal waste collectors in Johannesburg to collect, sort, transport, and sell materials, saving costs, benefitting the environment, and extending the life of landfills. In the pilot project, along with the collaboration with Unilever and other stakeholders, the organization can provide income to the collectors and set up an efficient and positive waste-collecting environment in Johannesburg. 

Data has shown how the ARO program has boosted the city’s recycling rates, and the number of households that actively recycle, as residents are more willing to play a part since they are seeing benefits from a cleaner city. The initiative has also created much-needed income opportunities in the informal sector and given these collectors a job that they are now proud of.