In the heart of Harare, Zimbabwe, a growing network of informal workers is tackling one of the country's most pressing environmental and economic challenges — waste.

Every day, The Associated Press reported, thousands of community members such as Ezekiel Mabhiza roam illegal dumpsites with pushcarts and hand tools, collecting scrap metal to resell.

What may appear to outsiders to be a desperate hustle is, in fact, a grassroots solution to the global waste and pollution crisis — one that also feeds families, fuels local industry, and reduces environmental harm.

"It's a dirty job, yes, but people rarely understand how important it is," said Fungai Mataga, who runs a scrap metal collection center. "They are society's cleaning crew. Every piece of metal they bring here is one less item polluting our land."

"This is my job now," Mabhiza told the AP. "I pay rent, my children eat and go to school."

For many, this is the way to make ends meet in a country where formal jobs are scarce and trash piles up faster than it can be collected. Harare generates around 1,000 tons of waste daily, much of it dumped illegally and burned. But scrap metal collectors are turning that trash into a renewable resource.

Their work greatly reduces the need for new mining — a highly polluting and resource-intensive process — by supplying local steelmakers with up to 600,000 tons of reclaimed metal every year.

That reuse not only reduces metal waste but also cuts the generation of heat-trapping pollution, improves energy efficiency in manufacturing, and lowers production costs for essential infrastructure materials used in buildings, vehicles, and public works.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, recycling steel and tin saves between 60% and 74% of the energy required to produce the same materials from raw sources.

The ripple effect is massive. Recycled metal supports Zimbabwe's steel industry, reduces demand for coal-fired smelting, and contributes to cleaner air and soil.

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As the world moves toward more circular economies and seeks scalable climate solutions, these grassroots recyclers are doing their part. Their work keeps materials in use longer, eases pressure on dwindling natural resources, and offers a livelihood that supports families, especially those dealing with job insecurity.

"This is where the money is," said Lovemore Sibanda, another scrap collector who also works as a security guard. "This is my office."

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