Maeteletja, T.Manganyi, J.Wichmann, Janine2020-03-132020-03-132019-09Maeteletja, T., Manganyi, J. & Wichmann, J. 2019, 'Is one man’s garbage another’s toxic treasure? A brief look into the informal recycling of waste on landfills and associated health challenges in South Africa', Occupational Health Southern Africa, vol. 25, no. 5, pp. 148-154.1024-6274http://hdl.handle.net/2263/73751As South African consumerism has risen, the waste being generated has increased. Poor accessibility to recycling infrastructures in communities has resulted in a high influx of reusable waste at landfills. Waste disposal through landfills is the primary form of disposal worldwide. According to the World Bank (2018), South Africans produce 0.50-0.99 kg of waste per capita per day. In 2017, the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF), formerly the Department of Environmental Affairs, reported that 75% of this waste is disposed of in landfills across the country. This has, to some degree, created a ‘gold rush’ to landfills as underprivileged and unemployed men and women in urban communities turn to waste recycling as a form of income generation.enSouth African Society of Occupational Medicine (SASOM)LandfillsWaste recyclingReusable wasteInformal recycling of wasteHealth challengesSouth Africa (SA)Article