{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,12]],"date-time":"2026-09-12T08:06:33Z","timestamp":1789200393386,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":48,"publisher":"Wiley","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,12]],"date-time":"2026-09-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1789171200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,12]],"date-time":"2026-09-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1789171200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["American J Industrial Med"],"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Informal waste pickers play a crucial role in urban recycling systems but often face precarious employment and systematic marginalization. This study examines the evolving demographic, occupational, and health trends of informal waste pickers in Hong Kong between 2018 and 2023.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      This study utilized a face\u2010to\u2010face structured questionnaire to collect cross\u2010sectional survey data in 2018 (\n                      <jats:italic>N<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u2009505) and 2023 (\n                      <jats:italic>N<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u2009701) across Hong Kong. Independent\u2010samples\n                      <jats:italic>t<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2010tests were conducted to compare demographic variables, working conditions, income sources and levels, physical health, and negative encounters (e.g., property theft and scale manipulation) between the two periods.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The surveys show that the waste picker population remains predominantly older adults. Between 2018 and 2023, their living conditions exhibited significant changes across four core dimensions. First, the average monthly income from recycling and the proportion relying on the Old Age Living Allowance increased significantly. Second, a greater number of waste pickers reported being motivated by earning a basic livelihood and supporting environmental protection. Third, the proportion experiencing weighing\u2010scale manipulation and physical injury increased. Finally, despite a significant increase in daily work rounds, the proportion reporting physical strain declined.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Despite nominal income gains, Hong Kong's predominantly female waste pickers face intensified structural violence via unfair markets and discrimination. Hence, female\u2010friendly policies and other procedures, including sector formalization, the establishment of waste picker organizations, intermediary regulation, retirement and health support, and anti\u2010discrimination public education, are suggested.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1002\/ajim.70134","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,12]],"date-time":"2026-09-12T07:31:10Z","timestamp":1789198270000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Occupational Conditions and Well\u2010Being Among Informal Waste Pickers in Hong Kong: A Comparative Study of 2018 and 2023"],"prefix":"10.1002","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0580-289X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Siu\u2010Ming","family":"Chan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences City University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-0814-3053","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alan","family":"Tam","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences City University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3801-5032","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Heng","family":"Xu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences City University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-5390-4589","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yu\u2010tian","family":"He","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences City University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yuen\u2010Ki","family":"Tang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences City University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0696-9421","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gum\u2010Ryeong","family":"Park","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health Policy and Management Korea University Seoul Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Wing\u2010Him","family":"Tang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Waste Picker Platform, New Arrivals Limited Hong Kong SAR China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_14_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/healthcare13060683"},{"key":"e_1_2_14_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph19159691"},{"key":"e_1_2_14_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0956247816657302"},{"key":"e_1_2_14_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12939-022-01684-7"},{"key":"e_1_2_14_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12939-024-02342-w"},{"key":"e_1_2_14_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1088\/1748-9326\/ac6b49"},{"key":"e_1_2_14_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/10773525.2018.1484996"},{"key":"e_1_2_14_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.wasman.2021.03.006"},{"key":"e_1_2_14_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/10497315241249442"},{"key":"e_1_2_14_11_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jhazmat.2021.126108"},{"key":"e_1_2_14_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12970-021-00431-7"},{"key":"e_1_2_14_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.geoforum.2021.01.018"},{"key":"e_1_2_14_14_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.wasman.2023.03.020"},{"key":"e_1_2_14_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3138\/jcfs.37.1.93"},{"issue":"2","key":"e_1_2_14_16_1","first-page":"330","article-title":"Impact of Gender Discrimination on Gender Development and Poverty Alleviation","volume":"27","author":"Alam A.","year":"2011","journal-title":"Sarhad Journal of Agriculture"},{"issue":"1","key":"e_1_2_14_17_1","first-page":"65","article-title":"Cycles of Discrimination: Older Women, Cumulative Disadvantages, and Retirement Consequences","volume":"31","author":"Davis N. 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