What Determine Ragpickers’ Movement and Location Selection? – A Qualitative Study in Depok City
Proceedings of The 7th Annual International Conference (AIC) Syiah Kuala University and The 6th International
Conference on Multidisciplinary Research (ICMR) in conjunction with the International Conference on Electrical
Engineering and Informatics (ICELTICs) 2017, October 18-20, 2017, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
What Determine Ragpickers’ Movement and
Location Selection? – A Qualitative Study in
Depok City
*
1
Putri Intan Adella, Triarko Nurlambang and Hafid Setiadi
Department of Geography, Faculty
Universitas Indonesia, Indonesia;
of
Mathematics
and
Natural
Sciences,
*
Corresponding author: putriintan.adella@gmail.com
Abstract
Ragpickers (or pemulung) move from one location to another to collect
garbage. This study was conducted with an objective to analysis the
movement and location selection decision of ragpickers in Depok City,
Indonesia. This qualitative based research was carried on 10 working
sites of ragpickers located in 3 sub-districts (kecamatan) in Depok City.
Data was collected through observation and in-depth interviews with 13
selected ragpickers. Secondary data was obtained from 2014 land use
map of Depok, demography report and waste management regulation in
Depok Government. The data was analyzed by using qualitative data
method. This study found that ragpickers determine main location and
alternative locations. Their working location selection is decided based on
some factors i.e. location characteristics and individual preferences. The
location characteristics are the operational time of the waste picker, the
community's habit of choosing the waste, and the rules within the
location. Meanwhile, the individual preferences are distance, time and
competition among ragpickers. The choice of location is linked to gender
identity and the length of ragpickers experience. This study also found
that the more experienced ragpickers moved to landfills within certain
times, whereas less experienced ragpickers choice different working
location to avoid competition.
Keywords: ragpickers, location, landfills, movement, Depok.
Introduction
In 2017, the waste generated in Depok City reaches 1200 tons / day, but the
government through Depok City Sanitation and Gardening Department is only able
to transport 700 tons of garbage / day, and can only sort out 250 tons / day so the
remaining 550 tons are transported into a timbulan garbage in Cipayung Landfill,
whereas non-transported garbage reach 400 ton1. Garbage problem in Depok City
creates economic opportunity for garbage business, one of them ragpickers.
Ragpickers are part of urban poor communities classified as unskilled labor (Alfian,
1980) and are generally migrants from rural areas (Simanjuntak, 2002). Their lives
are often ignored by nearby communities and governments. People often think of
ragpickers as disturbing cleanliness and environmental order. The government also
does not involve ragpickers in policies that impact on their lives because they are
considered illegal residents. Though indirectly ragpickers help reduce urban
problems reduce waste generation.
868
Putri Intan Adella, Triarko Nurlambang, and Hafid Setiadi
Ragpickers can be a solution to waste management problems in Depok City.
Ragpickers are a starting point in the recycling industry by collecting garbage from
its source before being distributed to production sites. Everyday ragpickers collecting
garbage from one location to another can be observed in the context of space and
time. Human activity in space can be explained as spatial behavior. Golledge (1997)
in his book Spatial Behavior: A Geographic Perspective explains that every
individual, group, or institution always performs decision-making processes in a
spatial context to perform its functions in space. The spatial behavior of a person
with another does not have to be the same, because every individual has their own
uniqueness and the behavior can change at any time so that the pattern of
individual movements with each other is not the same.
This paper seeks to explain how the selection and movement of ragpickers to the
location of waste collection. This study looks at the daily ragpickers from the point of
view of human geography, especially the spatial behavior of individuals. The initial
hypothesis of this research is there is a link between spatial attributes such as
distance with non-spatial attributes such as ragpickers identity in the process of
selecting and moving to the location of taking the garbage. By studying the
movement of waste picker can be input and consideration of government in
formulating policy.
Literature Review
Snellen (2002 in Mat, Kees and Theore Arentze, 2002) explains that movement or
travel is the result of complex decision-making processes, in which individuals and
households seek to meet their needs. In planning the movement, the individual will
choose which location will be addressed. The result of the site selection process is
the individual determining the primary location and the alternative location. The
main location can be defined as an ideal location to meet the needs and most closely
approximates the individual's preferences, whereas the alternative location is the
available location when the primary location cannot meet the needs of some of the
individual needs due to various obstacles.
The movement is taken from the activities undertaken by the individual. In research
conducted Kees Mat and Theo Arentze (2002) found that there is a relationship
between socio-demographic such as age, gender, individual work with the pattern of
activity. Janssens (2012) explains that the participation of individual activities is
limited by the availability of time, location characteristics such as rules, activities
taking place in the location and the operational time of the location, and individual
personal preference itself such as distance and time to move and so on. So it can be
concluded that the identity attached to a person (socio demographic), personal
preferences, and location characteristics affect the movement of a person.
Research Method
This research is a qualitative research by way of in-depth-interview and field
observation on 13 ragpickers who live in 10 working sites spread in 3 districts with
the densest population in Depok City, Beji Sub-district, Sukmajaya District and
Pancoran Mas Sub-district. Prior to field observation, secondary data such as land
use map of Depok, demography report and waste management regulation in Depok
Government were collected to provide an overview of the research area. All
activities, tracks and ragpickers routes during garbage collection are recorded and
recorded.
The analysis is done by continuing to connect the observations with the spatial
concept. First analyze the relationship of location character with consideration factor
choose location by comparing and matching spatial and non-spatial data. Then
connect the ragpickers identity with the choice of location by dividing it according to
869
Proceedings of The 7th Annual International Conference (AIC) Syiah Kuala University and The 6th International
Conference on Multidisciplinary Research (ICMR) in conjunction with the International Conference on Electrical
Engineering and Informatics (ICELTICs) 2017, October 18-20, 2017, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
the category. The ragpickers identity emphasized in this research is gender and long
ragpickers exploit the profession so that the categories such as experienced male
ragpickers, and so forth.
Results and Discussion
Characteristic Location of Garbage Collection Site
Location is the rate of spatial accumulation of socio-economic activity together
defining demand and where this demand occurs (Rodrigue, 2006). Locations indicate
the point at which activities and resources are available. From the observation, the
researcher found that the location characteristic that influence the location picking
up the waste by is the operational time of the ragpickers, the community habits time
to dispose the garbage, and the rule and the security in that location.
Figure 1. Community habits time to dispose garbage and time of free ragpickers go
to the garbage collection site.
The level of competition in a location is also determined by the quality of garbage
collected. The greater the amount of waste with good conditions at a location, the
more tight the competition in that location. Good waste conditions in a place
associated with the amount of waste of economic value in large quantities and well
disaggregated waste conditions. From the analysis result the writer can sort the
location with the biggest competition to the smallest as follows: commercial area,
elite residential area, traditional market, residential area, and the last is public
space.
Movement and Location Selection
From the results of the analysis it is found that the inherent identity of the
ragpickers affecting the movement and choice of location by ragpickers is the gender
and long experience of working as ragpickers. The authors found that there was a
difference in length of time worked and choice of location between male ragpickers
and female ragpickers. Male ragpickers can reach further locations than women
ragpickers and choose locations with a higher level of competition than female
ragpickers. This is because the male ragpickers have longer working time than
870
Putri Intan Adella, Triarko Nurlambang, and Hafid Setiadi
female ragpickers. Women ragpickers have shorter working hours because they
have to do housework. In addition, women ragpickers tend to avoid locations with
intense competition because of possible conflicts with other bigger ragpickers.
Work experience as a scavenger of each scavenger is different. We can classify the
scavenger work experience in 3 levels, experienced, inexperienced, inexperienced.
Inexperience ragpickers collect garbage in only one or two locations. This is because
they just become ragpickers and have a little knowledge about the environment.
Less experienced ragpickers have been working for 1-2 years as ragpickers. They
have several routinely visited locations to pick up trash, but the numbers are still
limited. The experienced ragpickers have been working as ragpickers for about 3-5
years. They have a broad knowledge of when and where locations with the best
waste. They pick up trash from many locations. They also cooperate with the
surrounding community such as shop owners and the surrounding community so
that they can collect large quantities of waste in the best quality so that the selling
price is expensive.
From the results of field observations the authors categorize the location of picking
waste by ragpickers into two categories namely the main location and alternative
location. The main location is the location that becomes the largest garbage supplier
for ragpickers and routinely visited by ragpickers to collect garbage, whereas the
alternative location is the location of the reserve garbage supplier if the garbage
collected in the main location is felt less by ragpickers. Alternate locations are also
available locations and can be visited when the primary location cannot be visited.
Here is a matrix of primary and alternative locations selected based on the choice of
informants (ragpickers) who became the object of observation:
Alternative
Main Location
Location
IDENTITY
LK 1
LK 2
LK 3
PR 1
PR 2
PR 3
LK 1
LK 2
LK 3
PR 1
PR 2
PR 3
Table 1. Matrix of picking location of waste by Ragpickers.
Elite
Commercial Traditional
Residential
Residential
Area
Market
Area
Area
YZ
X
Y
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Y
Y
X
X
Public
Space
YZ
X
X
From Table 1, it can be seen that the main location of garbage collector is
commercial area, elite residential area, and traditional market. This is because these
three locations have the best quality garbage. Ragpickers will compete to be able to
pick up garbage at that location. As a result these three locations have a higher
competition than alternative locations. Residential areas and public space are
considered by ragpickers to not have good quality waste in large quantities. Besides
these two locations can be entered by ragpickers to collect the waste in a long time
so that the ragpickers can freely manage when to collect garbage in the location.
871
Proceedings of The 7th Annual International Conference (AIC) Syiah Kuala University and The 6th International
Conference on Multidisciplinary Research (ICMR) in conjunction with the International Conference on Electrical
Engineering and Informatics (ICELTICs) 2017, October 18-20, 2017, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
Discussion
From the results of the analysis the authors found that there was an orderly pattern
between the movement and choice of ragpickers locations with their identities that
can be illustrated in the following graph:
Figure 2. Movement of ragpickers in waste collection location.
Experienced male ragpickers choose commercial area and elite residential area as
the main location. From figure 2. It is seen that experienced male ragpickers are
moving towards the main location at a time when people throw out the garbage so
that waste is available in large quantities. Both locations have high levels of
competition but they can overcome the competition because of their more dives
than other male ragpickers. They overcome the competition by cooperating with the
surrounding community such as security guards and shopkeepers. They chose
alternate locations of public facilities and residential area and gobbled up to the site
at a time when people dumped garbage so that their desired target of waste could
be met.
872
Putri Intan Adella, Triarko Nurlambang, and Hafid Setiadi
Less experienced male ragpickers choose traditional markets and commercial area
as the main location to collect garbage. They move coincidently at the time people
throw garbage at traditional markets but at commercial area they collect more
garbage at a time that does not coincide with the time people throw garbage. This is
because to choose the location with the quality of waste from a moderate to high
level but trying to avoid competition. This is because they have not had much
experience how to overcome the competition such as experienced male ragpickers.
They have only a little cooperation with the surrounding community. Alternative
locations they choose are public facilities and residential area. In the movement
toward alternative locations, they move to coincide with the time people throw
garbage in public facilities but not too coincidentally when in residential locations.
This is because public facilities have more flexible rules and safeguards than in
residential area.
On inexperienced males’ ragpickers, elite residential area to be the prime location of
garbage collecting and residential area as alternative locations of garbage collection.
The locations they visit are still small due to their little experience, so they are trying
to move in a location with good garbage quality.
In contrast to male ragpickers, all female ragpickers choose the location and time
with minimal competition. Experienced female ragpickers choose the main location
of traditional markets and residential area. They move on to traditional markets to
coincide with the time people throw garbage so that more garbage can be collected
even though the garbage collected is of medium quality. They also collect garbage in
the elite residential area but do not coincide with the time of society to dispose of
garbage so the competition is not too high and still get the garbage with good
quality. The alternative location they choose is residential area. They move this
location at a time when people are littering. This location is chosen because of the
amount of waste that is available even though with poor quality. Besides the
competition in this location is also low so they are easier to collect garbage.
In the less experienced female ragpickers they choose the location of collecting
garbage in the elite residential area. The location they go to is less than the
ragpickers of experienced women, so they try to collect the waste with the
maximum at the site. They collect the garbage either coinciding with the time people
throw away the garbage or not. The alternative location they choose is residential
area because the location has a lot of waste that is economical though with poor
quality.
In the inexperienced female ragpickers the primary location of garbage collection is
the traditional market. This location was chosen because this location has a lot of
economical waste with medium quality and low competition so they can collect more
free waste. The chosen alternative location is a public facility because the
competition at this location is low so they are easier to collect garbage.
Conclusion
From the description above can be concluded that the things that influence the
choice of scavenger location in Depok city is the location characteristics of taking the
waste and the identity of the gender and pengalaman pemulung. Location
characteristics illustrate the competition at that location. Commercial area and elite
residential area become the location with the highest competition because garbage
with economic value is large and in good condition whereas the time people throw
garbage at that location is very short.
The pattern of scavenger movement in Depok City shows a pattern of regularity
where ragpickers with less experience always choose time and location with less
competition but with waste quality as much as possible compared to more
873
Proceedings of The 7th Annual International Conference (AIC) Syiah Kuala University and The 6th International
Conference on Multidisciplinary Research (ICMR) in conjunction with the International Conference on Electrical
Engineering and Informatics (ICELTICs) 2017, October 18-20, 2017, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
experienced ragpickers. Women ragpickers also seek to avoid time and location with
high competition due to their shorter work time than male ragpickers.
References
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Social Sciences (YIIS). Malang
Bulkia, Aulia Ayu Riandini. 2012. The Pattern of the Movement of Arab Ethnic
Society in Surakarta (Case Study of Kecamatan Pasar Kliwon). Thesis
Department of Geography UI. Depok
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Jakarta: Recycling Industry, Pedicab Transportation, and Trade Kakilima. UI
Press. Jakarta.
Cox, Kevin R. 1972. Man, Location, and Behavior: An Introduction to Human
Geography. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. New York
Creswell, John.W. 2003. Research Design Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mix Method
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California
Creswell, John.W. 2014. Research Design Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mix Method
Approaches. Fourth Edition. University of Nebraska, Lincoln.Sage Publication.
California
Dewi, Rahmi Sari. 2008. Social Evaluation and Value of Waste Processing Unit (UPS)
Depok City. Thesis Faculty of Agriculture, Bogor Agricultural University. Bogor
Ghofur, Abdul. 2009. Pemulung Jalanan Yogyakarta: Construction of Marginality and
the Struggle of Life in the Shadows Dominant Culture. The SMERU Research
Institute. Jakarta
Golledge, Reginald. 1997. Spatial Behavior: A Geographic Perspective. The Guilford
Press. New York
Janssens, D. 2012. Activity-based Models: Introduction, Positioning, and the
Fearthers Model. Slide Presentation. Hasselt University. Belgium.
Lober, Judith and Susan A. farrel. 1991. The Social Construction of Gender. Sage
Publication. New York
Maat, K and Arentze Theo. 2002. Variation of Activity Patterns with Features of
Spatial Context. Delf University of Technology and Eindhoven University of
Technologies. Delf.
Merani, Aisha. 2006. Characteristic Analysis of Ragpickers, Work Characteristics,
Social Relations, and Welfare of Ragpickers (Case of Pemulung Settlements in
Kedaung Village, Pamulang District, Tanggerang District, Banten Province).
Essay. Faculty of Agriculture. Bogor Agricultural Institute. Bogor.
Nyakaana, J.B. 1996. Solid Waste Management in Urban Center: The Case of
Kampala City - Uganda.Markere University Kampala. Journal of the East African
Geographical Review. Uganda
Pramuwito, C. 1992. Research on Characteristic of Scavenger Behavior in
Yogyakarta Municipality. Institute for Research and Development of Social
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Rodrigue, Jean Paul, et al. 2006. The Geography of Transport System. Taylor &
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Rustiadi, et al. 2009. Regional Planning and Development. Yayasan Pustaka Torch.
Jakarta
Simanjuntak, R.L. 2002. Overview of Waste and Waste Management Phenomenon in
DKI Jakarta and Bantar Gebang Bekasi. Thesis. Rural Sociology Program. Bogor
Agricultural Institute. Bogor
Stead, Dominic. 2001. Relation Between Land Use, Socio Economic Factor, and
Travel Pattern in Britain. Journal Enviroment and Palnning B: Planning and
Design.Volume 28, pages 499-528. Sage Journal. London
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Putri Intan Adella, Triarko Nurlambang, and Hafid Setiadi
Subri, Mulyadi. 2003. Human Resource Economics in Development Perspective. Raja
Grafindo Persada. Jakarta
Twikoromo, Y. Argo. 1999. Pemulung Jalanan Yogyakarta: Construction of
Marginality and Struggle of Life in the Shadow of Dominant Culture. Media
Pressindo. Yogyakarta
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875
Conference on Multidisciplinary Research (ICMR) in conjunction with the International Conference on Electrical
Engineering and Informatics (ICELTICs) 2017, October 18-20, 2017, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
What Determine Ragpickers’ Movement and
Location Selection? – A Qualitative Study in
Depok City
*
1
Putri Intan Adella, Triarko Nurlambang and Hafid Setiadi
Department of Geography, Faculty
Universitas Indonesia, Indonesia;
of
Mathematics
and
Natural
Sciences,
*
Corresponding author: putriintan.adella@gmail.com
Abstract
Ragpickers (or pemulung) move from one location to another to collect
garbage. This study was conducted with an objective to analysis the
movement and location selection decision of ragpickers in Depok City,
Indonesia. This qualitative based research was carried on 10 working
sites of ragpickers located in 3 sub-districts (kecamatan) in Depok City.
Data was collected through observation and in-depth interviews with 13
selected ragpickers. Secondary data was obtained from 2014 land use
map of Depok, demography report and waste management regulation in
Depok Government. The data was analyzed by using qualitative data
method. This study found that ragpickers determine main location and
alternative locations. Their working location selection is decided based on
some factors i.e. location characteristics and individual preferences. The
location characteristics are the operational time of the waste picker, the
community's habit of choosing the waste, and the rules within the
location. Meanwhile, the individual preferences are distance, time and
competition among ragpickers. The choice of location is linked to gender
identity and the length of ragpickers experience. This study also found
that the more experienced ragpickers moved to landfills within certain
times, whereas less experienced ragpickers choice different working
location to avoid competition.
Keywords: ragpickers, location, landfills, movement, Depok.
Introduction
In 2017, the waste generated in Depok City reaches 1200 tons / day, but the
government through Depok City Sanitation and Gardening Department is only able
to transport 700 tons of garbage / day, and can only sort out 250 tons / day so the
remaining 550 tons are transported into a timbulan garbage in Cipayung Landfill,
whereas non-transported garbage reach 400 ton1. Garbage problem in Depok City
creates economic opportunity for garbage business, one of them ragpickers.
Ragpickers are part of urban poor communities classified as unskilled labor (Alfian,
1980) and are generally migrants from rural areas (Simanjuntak, 2002). Their lives
are often ignored by nearby communities and governments. People often think of
ragpickers as disturbing cleanliness and environmental order. The government also
does not involve ragpickers in policies that impact on their lives because they are
considered illegal residents. Though indirectly ragpickers help reduce urban
problems reduce waste generation.
868
Putri Intan Adella, Triarko Nurlambang, and Hafid Setiadi
Ragpickers can be a solution to waste management problems in Depok City.
Ragpickers are a starting point in the recycling industry by collecting garbage from
its source before being distributed to production sites. Everyday ragpickers collecting
garbage from one location to another can be observed in the context of space and
time. Human activity in space can be explained as spatial behavior. Golledge (1997)
in his book Spatial Behavior: A Geographic Perspective explains that every
individual, group, or institution always performs decision-making processes in a
spatial context to perform its functions in space. The spatial behavior of a person
with another does not have to be the same, because every individual has their own
uniqueness and the behavior can change at any time so that the pattern of
individual movements with each other is not the same.
This paper seeks to explain how the selection and movement of ragpickers to the
location of waste collection. This study looks at the daily ragpickers from the point of
view of human geography, especially the spatial behavior of individuals. The initial
hypothesis of this research is there is a link between spatial attributes such as
distance with non-spatial attributes such as ragpickers identity in the process of
selecting and moving to the location of taking the garbage. By studying the
movement of waste picker can be input and consideration of government in
formulating policy.
Literature Review
Snellen (2002 in Mat, Kees and Theore Arentze, 2002) explains that movement or
travel is the result of complex decision-making processes, in which individuals and
households seek to meet their needs. In planning the movement, the individual will
choose which location will be addressed. The result of the site selection process is
the individual determining the primary location and the alternative location. The
main location can be defined as an ideal location to meet the needs and most closely
approximates the individual's preferences, whereas the alternative location is the
available location when the primary location cannot meet the needs of some of the
individual needs due to various obstacles.
The movement is taken from the activities undertaken by the individual. In research
conducted Kees Mat and Theo Arentze (2002) found that there is a relationship
between socio-demographic such as age, gender, individual work with the pattern of
activity. Janssens (2012) explains that the participation of individual activities is
limited by the availability of time, location characteristics such as rules, activities
taking place in the location and the operational time of the location, and individual
personal preference itself such as distance and time to move and so on. So it can be
concluded that the identity attached to a person (socio demographic), personal
preferences, and location characteristics affect the movement of a person.
Research Method
This research is a qualitative research by way of in-depth-interview and field
observation on 13 ragpickers who live in 10 working sites spread in 3 districts with
the densest population in Depok City, Beji Sub-district, Sukmajaya District and
Pancoran Mas Sub-district. Prior to field observation, secondary data such as land
use map of Depok, demography report and waste management regulation in Depok
Government were collected to provide an overview of the research area. All
activities, tracks and ragpickers routes during garbage collection are recorded and
recorded.
The analysis is done by continuing to connect the observations with the spatial
concept. First analyze the relationship of location character with consideration factor
choose location by comparing and matching spatial and non-spatial data. Then
connect the ragpickers identity with the choice of location by dividing it according to
869
Proceedings of The 7th Annual International Conference (AIC) Syiah Kuala University and The 6th International
Conference on Multidisciplinary Research (ICMR) in conjunction with the International Conference on Electrical
Engineering and Informatics (ICELTICs) 2017, October 18-20, 2017, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
the category. The ragpickers identity emphasized in this research is gender and long
ragpickers exploit the profession so that the categories such as experienced male
ragpickers, and so forth.
Results and Discussion
Characteristic Location of Garbage Collection Site
Location is the rate of spatial accumulation of socio-economic activity together
defining demand and where this demand occurs (Rodrigue, 2006). Locations indicate
the point at which activities and resources are available. From the observation, the
researcher found that the location characteristic that influence the location picking
up the waste by is the operational time of the ragpickers, the community habits time
to dispose the garbage, and the rule and the security in that location.
Figure 1. Community habits time to dispose garbage and time of free ragpickers go
to the garbage collection site.
The level of competition in a location is also determined by the quality of garbage
collected. The greater the amount of waste with good conditions at a location, the
more tight the competition in that location. Good waste conditions in a place
associated with the amount of waste of economic value in large quantities and well
disaggregated waste conditions. From the analysis result the writer can sort the
location with the biggest competition to the smallest as follows: commercial area,
elite residential area, traditional market, residential area, and the last is public
space.
Movement and Location Selection
From the results of the analysis it is found that the inherent identity of the
ragpickers affecting the movement and choice of location by ragpickers is the gender
and long experience of working as ragpickers. The authors found that there was a
difference in length of time worked and choice of location between male ragpickers
and female ragpickers. Male ragpickers can reach further locations than women
ragpickers and choose locations with a higher level of competition than female
ragpickers. This is because the male ragpickers have longer working time than
870
Putri Intan Adella, Triarko Nurlambang, and Hafid Setiadi
female ragpickers. Women ragpickers have shorter working hours because they
have to do housework. In addition, women ragpickers tend to avoid locations with
intense competition because of possible conflicts with other bigger ragpickers.
Work experience as a scavenger of each scavenger is different. We can classify the
scavenger work experience in 3 levels, experienced, inexperienced, inexperienced.
Inexperience ragpickers collect garbage in only one or two locations. This is because
they just become ragpickers and have a little knowledge about the environment.
Less experienced ragpickers have been working for 1-2 years as ragpickers. They
have several routinely visited locations to pick up trash, but the numbers are still
limited. The experienced ragpickers have been working as ragpickers for about 3-5
years. They have a broad knowledge of when and where locations with the best
waste. They pick up trash from many locations. They also cooperate with the
surrounding community such as shop owners and the surrounding community so
that they can collect large quantities of waste in the best quality so that the selling
price is expensive.
From the results of field observations the authors categorize the location of picking
waste by ragpickers into two categories namely the main location and alternative
location. The main location is the location that becomes the largest garbage supplier
for ragpickers and routinely visited by ragpickers to collect garbage, whereas the
alternative location is the location of the reserve garbage supplier if the garbage
collected in the main location is felt less by ragpickers. Alternate locations are also
available locations and can be visited when the primary location cannot be visited.
Here is a matrix of primary and alternative locations selected based on the choice of
informants (ragpickers) who became the object of observation:
Alternative
Main Location
Location
IDENTITY
LK 1
LK 2
LK 3
PR 1
PR 2
PR 3
LK 1
LK 2
LK 3
PR 1
PR 2
PR 3
Table 1. Matrix of picking location of waste by Ragpickers.
Elite
Commercial Traditional
Residential
Residential
Area
Market
Area
Area
YZ
X
Y
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Y
Y
X
X
Public
Space
YZ
X
X
From Table 1, it can be seen that the main location of garbage collector is
commercial area, elite residential area, and traditional market. This is because these
three locations have the best quality garbage. Ragpickers will compete to be able to
pick up garbage at that location. As a result these three locations have a higher
competition than alternative locations. Residential areas and public space are
considered by ragpickers to not have good quality waste in large quantities. Besides
these two locations can be entered by ragpickers to collect the waste in a long time
so that the ragpickers can freely manage when to collect garbage in the location.
871
Proceedings of The 7th Annual International Conference (AIC) Syiah Kuala University and The 6th International
Conference on Multidisciplinary Research (ICMR) in conjunction with the International Conference on Electrical
Engineering and Informatics (ICELTICs) 2017, October 18-20, 2017, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
Discussion
From the results of the analysis the authors found that there was an orderly pattern
between the movement and choice of ragpickers locations with their identities that
can be illustrated in the following graph:
Figure 2. Movement of ragpickers in waste collection location.
Experienced male ragpickers choose commercial area and elite residential area as
the main location. From figure 2. It is seen that experienced male ragpickers are
moving towards the main location at a time when people throw out the garbage so
that waste is available in large quantities. Both locations have high levels of
competition but they can overcome the competition because of their more dives
than other male ragpickers. They overcome the competition by cooperating with the
surrounding community such as security guards and shopkeepers. They chose
alternate locations of public facilities and residential area and gobbled up to the site
at a time when people dumped garbage so that their desired target of waste could
be met.
872
Putri Intan Adella, Triarko Nurlambang, and Hafid Setiadi
Less experienced male ragpickers choose traditional markets and commercial area
as the main location to collect garbage. They move coincidently at the time people
throw garbage at traditional markets but at commercial area they collect more
garbage at a time that does not coincide with the time people throw garbage. This is
because to choose the location with the quality of waste from a moderate to high
level but trying to avoid competition. This is because they have not had much
experience how to overcome the competition such as experienced male ragpickers.
They have only a little cooperation with the surrounding community. Alternative
locations they choose are public facilities and residential area. In the movement
toward alternative locations, they move to coincide with the time people throw
garbage in public facilities but not too coincidentally when in residential locations.
This is because public facilities have more flexible rules and safeguards than in
residential area.
On inexperienced males’ ragpickers, elite residential area to be the prime location of
garbage collecting and residential area as alternative locations of garbage collection.
The locations they visit are still small due to their little experience, so they are trying
to move in a location with good garbage quality.
In contrast to male ragpickers, all female ragpickers choose the location and time
with minimal competition. Experienced female ragpickers choose the main location
of traditional markets and residential area. They move on to traditional markets to
coincide with the time people throw garbage so that more garbage can be collected
even though the garbage collected is of medium quality. They also collect garbage in
the elite residential area but do not coincide with the time of society to dispose of
garbage so the competition is not too high and still get the garbage with good
quality. The alternative location they choose is residential area. They move this
location at a time when people are littering. This location is chosen because of the
amount of waste that is available even though with poor quality. Besides the
competition in this location is also low so they are easier to collect garbage.
In the less experienced female ragpickers they choose the location of collecting
garbage in the elite residential area. The location they go to is less than the
ragpickers of experienced women, so they try to collect the waste with the
maximum at the site. They collect the garbage either coinciding with the time people
throw away the garbage or not. The alternative location they choose is residential
area because the location has a lot of waste that is economical though with poor
quality.
In the inexperienced female ragpickers the primary location of garbage collection is
the traditional market. This location was chosen because this location has a lot of
economical waste with medium quality and low competition so they can collect more
free waste. The chosen alternative location is a public facility because the
competition at this location is low so they are easier to collect garbage.
Conclusion
From the description above can be concluded that the things that influence the
choice of scavenger location in Depok city is the location characteristics of taking the
waste and the identity of the gender and pengalaman pemulung. Location
characteristics illustrate the competition at that location. Commercial area and elite
residential area become the location with the highest competition because garbage
with economic value is large and in good condition whereas the time people throw
garbage at that location is very short.
The pattern of scavenger movement in Depok City shows a pattern of regularity
where ragpickers with less experience always choose time and location with less
competition but with waste quality as much as possible compared to more
873
Proceedings of The 7th Annual International Conference (AIC) Syiah Kuala University and The 6th International
Conference on Multidisciplinary Research (ICMR) in conjunction with the International Conference on Electrical
Engineering and Informatics (ICELTICs) 2017, October 18-20, 2017, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
experienced ragpickers. Women ragpickers also seek to avoid time and location with
high competition due to their shorter work time than male ragpickers.
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