Municipal Solid Waste Exposure and Health Concern: Indian Women are at Risk

Municipal solid waste (MSW) management has emerged as an important human and environmental health issue. A large number of poor, downtrodden marginalized urban women are thriving on these recyclable wastes and are potentially exposed to a variety of occupational biohazards and safety risks. At present there are about millions of women in India who scavenge the city’s garbage bins and MSW disposal sites to salvage recyclable materials like plastic, glass, paper and for a living [1]. These women are commonly known as ‘ragpickers’. In India, ragpickers form the base of hierarchy of informal sector of the solid waste management [2] and are at greater risk of multiple adverse health issues including cardiovascular disease [1].