Wawan died from a tetanus infection while his friend Udin suffered a blockage of blood vessels in the brain – both believed to have been the result of their daily handling of various types of waste without any proper protection.

Wawan used his cart to collect garbage from community unit (RW) 09 in Sukaluyu subdistrict. One day, he stepped on something sharp but left the wound untreated. Unbeknownst to him, the wound became infected by tetanus bacteria, which eventually killed Wawan. He is survived by his wife, three children and two grandchildren.

Udin also works as a trash collector in Sukaluyu. Despite being around the foul stench of waste all day, every day, Udin said he never wore masks on the job because they felt uncomfortable. One day, he felt dizzy and vomited. He went to a doctor for treatment and was told that he had a blocked blood vessel in his brain, likely from breathing in toxic fumes from chemical products mixed in with the waste he collects. Fortunately, Udin survived.

“We equip garbage collectors with masks, gloves and boots. But sometimes, they ignore the protective equipment, arguing that it would complicate their work,” RW 09 head Iwan Poernawan said recently.

A lack of safety standards and limited budget are often blamed for serious accidents and even the deaths of sanitation workers.

Bandung Environment and Sanitation Agency head Kamalia Purbani said the agency did not have the budget to properly protect them.

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