Those involved in the informal economy are known to respect others’ salvage territory, while businesses set aside a regular supply of used items and bike shops offer free repairs.
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A network of sidewalks, alleys and busy streets is vital to dozens of Downtown Eastside residents who rely on daily recyclable collection, as well as their bicycles, to make ends meet.
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For these Vancouver “dumpsters,” solidifying community connections is invaluable: those involved in the informal economy have been known to respect each other’s reclamation territory, while businesses drop off a regular supply of used items and bike shops offer free repairs.
The phenomenon of the “underground bicycle economy” is the focus of a study published in the journal mobilities, examining the daily lives of five middle-aged men from the Downtown Eastside who set up “trap lines” to get the job done. Participants interviewed in January and February 2020 were homeless or living in single room occupancy hotels.
With about 10 percent of Vancouver’s homeless population participating in the green enterprise, the study’s principal investigator says the city should offer them a greater say in future transportation planning and policy.
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“Based on our finding that the needs of some participants are currently not being met, we suggest that cyclists living in poverty be considered so they can safely continue to do their jobs,” said Jeanette Steinmann, student Ph.D. in Kinesiology at BC University
As Steinmann travels around Vancouver by bike, he said his typical route differs from that of residents he interviewed.
“For me, riding a bike is a choice, being green. However, some people have limited transportation options. His cycling is more of a necessity.”
As part of his research, Steinmann rode alongside the study participants. “Accessing some bottle depots was difficult. In one case, a post in the middle of the sidewalk made it difficult to pass a viaduct by bicycle,” he told Postmedia.
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Michael Leland, 64, has been a self-employed recycler in Vancouver for more than two decades.
“I started seeing all these beer cans along Hastings Street and thought I could make a few bucks to buy alcohol,” said the SRO resident who was not part of the study.
During his early days as a “trash”, he was lucky enough to earn $40 after 10 hours of hauling recyclables on foot.
“When I started in 2000 at 45 years old, everyone was unhappy. Businesses didn’t like you rummaging through alleys,” Leland said.
However, after several years of collecting, he said he was able to build trust with locals in the community and added regulars to his route.
“Once they met me, that I didn’t trespass and I did a good job, their attitude completely changed.”
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His first bi-weekly collection at the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club coincided with his decision to transport his recyclables by bicycle. “Riding a bike made the job so much easier and the trailer I modified allowed me to carry 150 pounds.”
By the time returns of beverage containers one liter or less rose from five to cents in November 2019, Leland earned $160 a day.
“The yacht club wouldn’t put out their bottles for anyone but me. A lot of times, they even saved a steak for me.”
For those Steinmann studied, the relationships they formed at work “represented an element of stability and reliability in the lives of waste pickers, for whom much of life was precarious,” according to the research.
“The social connections that informal recyclers fostered during years of recycling were important not only for social support but also to ensure a constant supply of recyclable materials,” he said.
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Most of the recycling depots in the city have moved from downtown to industrial areas, including the Regional Bottle Depot, a location in East Vancouver known for housing regular recyclers.
“Each time you receive a receipt for your bottle return, you can sign your name on it and be entered to win a $100 monthly drawing,” Leland said, adding that the owner of the warehouse came to his aid after his bottle was stolen. bike. .
The Four Directions Trading Post, formerly known as the Downtown Eastside Street Market, also provides recyclers with a place to purchase low-cost bikes in times of need.
Leland said that since establishing himself as a Vancouver recycler and starting a nonprofit organization, The Binners Project, to support others in the can collecting community, he has a new lease on life.
“I found more purpose in work and stopped drinking. Waste pickers like me are more respected and learn about the positive impact our work has on the environment.”
