Migration and Waste Picking: Analysis of Emerging Urban Lifestyle

Waste picking as an emerging phenomenon has been linked with migration in metropolitan cities of Iran. This article aims to examine waste picking phenomenon as an emerging urban lifestyle in Tehran. The method of research was based on qualitative study using phenomenology approach. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and observation.  A number of forty waste-pickers participated in this study. The data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. The results showed that most waste-pickers are migrants. Majorities were Afghan, and some were internal migrants entered to Tehran.  They had poor education and very poor nutrition. According to the typology, waste –pickers can be categorized into formal and informal groups. Finally, this study showed that waste picking can be known as a new emerging lifestyle in urban Tehran which has been emerged and expanded due to various flow of migration over the last decade.