According to Furedy (1992) the waste economy, in the Asian countries, comprises of a large number of urban actors and activities in waste trading. In case of India, the hierarchy is as follows, Waste picker, Middleman/contractor, Scrap dealer, Second hand markets, recycling industry.Waste picking involves, as the name suggests, picking up of waste from the unidentified garbage, dumping points around neighborhoods, streets, drains, public spaces thereby making their position highly vulnerable.Keeping this in view an attempt has been made in the present study to ascertain the living & working condition of waste pickers, their contribution in waste collection and in conserving the environment of Jammu city. The present study is based on Primary as well as Secondary sources.According to them, all of them joined this occupation because it does not require any specialization or skill, training and no input is required. Most of the rag pickers collect refused waste from garbage, street bins, drains, rivers side etc. mostly plastic, iron& metals, cardboard without making any payment, whereas itinerant buyers collect daily, wrapper’s plastic, cardboard, iron, metals, newspaper, books, notebook, glass &plastic bottles etc. from homes & shops etc. by making payment for it. The daily waste collected by the rag pickers has been 1096 kg and the average waste collected is near about 27 kg per day whereas itinerant buyers collect 1430 kg of waste daily and the average waste collected by them has been near about 36 kgsper day. Total( 80)waste pickers collect monthly near about 757 quintals of recyclable waste, of which Rag pickers contributes near about 328 quintals i.e. 43.4 per centand Itinerant buyers contribute 429 quintals i.e. 56.6 percent, by selling this they get income through self-employment. Waste pickers generate monthly income of Rs. 3,12,900 per month out of recyclable waste of 757 quintals, of which 42.7 per centhas been generated by Rag pickers and 57.3 per centby Itinerant buyers. Thus waste pickers have been playing an important role through supplying waste to the recycling industry, reducing the pressure on natural resources (such as paper plantation, extraction of iron ore etc.) & in conserving the environment.