| dc.description.abstract | The annual increase in solid waste generation is directly associated with population growth and rising consumption levels. Waste has emerged as a critical environmental issue in Medan City, which is confronted with limited landfill capacity. The minimal implementation of source-level waste segregation underscores the essential role of waste pickers in reducing the volume of waste disposed of at the landfill. This study aims to examine the demographic characteristics of waste pickers, the composition and physical characteristics of waste, the types of materials collected, the contribution of waste-picking activities to waste recovery, and the influence of demographic factors on both income and the total amount of waste collected. The research employed a quantitative descriptive method through field observations, interviews, and measurements of waste generation and composition in accordance with SNI 3964:2025. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression with SPSS software. A total of 84 respondents were selected, meeting the sampling requirements to represent approximately 500 waste pickers. The findings indicate that waste pickers are predominantly within the productive age group (27–38 years), male, and possess low educational attainment (elementary school level or no formal education), with 6–20 years of work experience and an average of 8–10 working hours per day. The incoming waste stream is dominated by organic waste (35.2%), plastics (PET, HDPE, LDPE, PS, PP) (29.4%), and nappies (16.4%), with an average generation of 1,081 tons per day and a volume of 4,540
m³/day. Waste-picking activities contribute 1.21% to waste recovery by weight and 1.73% by volume. The income of waste pickers ranges from Rp1,200,000 to Rp2,600,000 per month, remaining below the 2025 minimum wage of Medan City. Regression analysis demonstrates that demographic variables exert a very strong and statistically significant influence on both income and the total weight of waste collected. | en_US |
