The Peruvian non-governmental Office of Environmental Assessment and Consulting is designing a plan to organize the efforts of some 5,000 informal garbage collectors, who recycle 10 percent of Lima's solid waste. Before the nearly 4,000 tons of waste are collected by the municipal garbage service each day, the workers — without any protection — dig through it looking for paper, plastic, glass and metal to recycle.

They receive six cents on the dollar per kilogram of paper, and 30 cents per kilogram of metal, dealing with intermediaries who in turn sell it by the tons to various industries.

The plan, which will be coordinated by Lima's municipal authorities, aims to triple the percentage of waste being recycled, says activist Marco Alegre.