Street waste collectors on front lines of COVID-19

In addition to contributing to the economy, Turkish street waste collectors help keep the environment clean and have played a role on the front lines during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Although they are not in the public eye as say health care personnel, who are viewed as heroes in the coronavirus fight, waste collectors continue to work under difficult conditions nearly "nonstop."

According to the waste collection sector, despite difficulties, the virus demonstrated how important the work is for recycling industries because of the material shortage that occurred when working hours were reduced.

Yakup Çelik, 28, a married father of three said he has been working in the sector for 15 years despite the difficulties because there is no other choice for a living.

"We didn't work for a short time when the COVID-19 outbreak first appeared in Turkey but then we returned to the streets -- we had to do this to make a living," he said.

He and others were warned by authorities to be careful, try not to touch medical materials as much as possible and only collect waste that looked clean.

"Many employees' lives are already at risk due to the current working system, even before the virus," he said, as he urged for a more systematic, disciplined work environment.

"Living conditions - we have to work," Çelik said of contracting the virus while working.

When waste collection on the street was banned by the municipality in the last month, he and his colleagues were seen as "a potential virus carrier" by many, which made their work harder.

Çelik said he works 15 hours mostly every day regardless of the weather or "ignorance" he sometimes faces.

"I get up at 8 a.m. and work until 11 p.m. - 15 hours a day and mostly...