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The waste pickers of Mbeubeuss
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The waste pickers of Mbeubeuss

Mbeubeuss is one of the largest open landfills in the world, located in Dakar, Senegal. It spreads over 175 hectares and receives over 475 000 tons of garbage each year. The dump poses big ecological risks as it pollutes the land, water and air. But more than 1000 waste pickers make a small living by looking for recyclable items that can be sold. The Senegalese government is talking about closing the landfill for years but nothing has happened so far.

Photos
10
Status
Public
Created
Oct 25, 2017
Updated
Feb 08, 2022
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Photos (10)

More than 2000 tons of garbage are dumped each day at the landfill Mbeubeuss in Dakar, Senegal. It is considered as one of the biggest open rubbish dumps in the world.
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Amidst the garbage a waste picker finds some iron that he can sell. More than 1000 waste pickers look for recyclable items every day.
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Workers search through mountains of waste while smoke makes it difficult to see and to breathe. Garbage has been accumulated in Mbeubeuss since the 1960s.
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A woman is looking for plastic bottles that can be recycled. Among the waste pickers in Mbeubeuss are about 300 women and children.
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Two waste pickers are having a break after searching through a truck load of waste. A whole economy has developed in Mbeubeuss, not only waste pickers and traders work here but also vendors who sell coffee or food.
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A damaged plastic toy in the middle of other garbage. Mbeubeuss is the final destination for household and industrial waste from Dakar, a city of four millions inhabitants.
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A truck drives over cans that workers have spread on the street so that the metal gets pressed together.
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A worker carries a bunch of plastic that will be sold to a company in the region.
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Recyclable items are sorted and ready for sale. Most vendors have regular clients - companies as well as individuals.
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A horse cart loaded with plastic bottles. Waste pickers often rent a horse cart to transport their collected goods.
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