Özet:

Recycling practices, which are an indispensable part of the sustainable development model in developing countries within the scope of combating climate change, brought the issue of waste collection and street collection to the agenda. In developing countries like Turkey, where source separation is impossible, street collection has become a vital participant in the recycling market. This research examines the impacts of the economic worth of recyclable wastes on the social status of street collectors and their transfer to a decent work environment, as well as the function of the media in this transition. After reviewing the literature and legislation, this article applies content analysis on the relevant social media posts between the date of October 3, 2021, when the local governments in Istanbul made a police raid on street collectors, and October 30, 2021, when the street collectors issue was on the agenda. As a consequence of the increased social and environmental awareness caused by climate change on a global scale, the legislative arrangements made at the national level have enabled the waste to gain economic value. The organized street collectors’ defence of their rights and public announcement of their grievances through their representatives under the pressure of local governments had a societal impact on social media and entered into politicians’ and government’s agendas. Accordingly, in the past, perceptions of street collectors as “dirty”, “criminal”, and “poor” all of which were directly related with poverty in society, have been replaced by perceptions of “environmental protection”, “worker who earns their bread” and “zero waste stakeholder”. The analysis shows that 79% of Twitter user shares support street collectors and view the police raid negatively. On the other hand, only 2% of the users see the police raid as necessary for “maintaining public order”. As a result, sustainable environmental policies carried out within the scope of combating climate change have improved the economic situation of street collectors, positively affecting their organization and the improvement of decent work environments. These developments have affected street collectors to increase their visibility in the media and change their social perceptions positively.

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