Rio's famous landfill closes
- 12 years ago
A group of garbage pickers in Rio are now out of work after the city decided to close the famous Jardim Gramacho landfill.
Since the mid 1970's, the landfill has provided work for hundreds of pickers.
But in a few weeks, the city will host the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit-- so officials have decided to shut down the landfill, and transfer the garbage dump to another part of town.
After working there their whole lives, some workers say it will be difficult to adjust to another job.
(SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) GARBAGE PICKER, MARCELO GONCALVES, SAYING:
"It will be difficult to get used to. I was already used to coming here, to the people and to the money that we make here. But now we need to move on, it is over. What else can we do?"
City officials say the 7,000 tons of trash deposited at the landfill daily will now be processed by machines.
Julie Noce, Reuters
Since the mid 1970's, the landfill has provided work for hundreds of pickers.
But in a few weeks, the city will host the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit-- so officials have decided to shut down the landfill, and transfer the garbage dump to another part of town.
After working there their whole lives, some workers say it will be difficult to adjust to another job.
(SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) GARBAGE PICKER, MARCELO GONCALVES, SAYING:
"It will be difficult to get used to. I was already used to coming here, to the people and to the money that we make here. But now we need to move on, it is over. What else can we do?"
City officials say the 7,000 tons of trash deposited at the landfill daily will now be processed by machines.
Julie Noce, Reuters