Why People Risk Their Lives At One Of The Largest Landfills In The World | Risky Business

Summary

The video highlights the lives of scavengers, or 'pemulung,' who work in the Bantar Gebang landfill in Indonesia. For nearly two decades, Rasidin and thousands like him have survived by sifting through the mountains of trash, collecting recyclable materials to sell. Despite the constant danger from methane gas, excavators, and poor working conditions, they endure for the chance to make a living. The landfill, one of the largest in the world, supports thousands of families, but the risk is high, and the workers, like Rasidin, continue to dream of a better life for their children.

Takeaways

• 😀 Rasidin and thousands of others in Indonesia work as 'pemulung' or scavengers, sorting, selling, and sometimes recycling trash for a living.
• 😀 Many scavengers, like Indhan, used to be rice farmers but earn more by collecting and selling trash, sometimes doubling their income.
• 😀 The Bantar Gebang landfill, one of the largest in the world, serves as a key site where thousands of people scavenge for recyclable materials.
• 😀 The landfill spans the size of 200 football fields and houses about 6,000 people in slums at its base.
• 😀 The dangers faced by scavengers include heavy machinery, such as excavators operated by the Jakarta provincial government, which move trash to prevent the landfill from collapsing.
• 😀 Methane gas, a byproduct of rotting waste, is an invisible and deadly threat at Bantar Gebang, capable of causing suffocation and explosive eruptions.
• 😀 In 2005, a methane explosion at a landfill in Java led to an avalanche that killed 143 people, many of whom were scavengers.
• 😀 Despite the risks, scavengers like Rasidin continue to work in the landfill due to the economic opportunities it provides.
• 😀 Rasidin makes around $25 a week, which is about a third of Indonesia's minimum wage, but still more than a rice farmer's earnings.
• 😀 The waste collected by scavengers is often sold to middlemen like Adi, who resell it to other buyers or recycling facilities.
• 😀 Rasidin dreams of his children escaping the hardships of life at the landfill and building a better future.

Q & A

What is the primary occupation of Rasidin and many others in Indonesia?

Rasidin and many others in Indonesia work as scavengers, collecting items from landfills to sell or reuse, contributing to the informal recycling industry.

How did many of the scavengers in Bantar Gebang end up in this line of work?

Many, like Indhan, used to be rice farmers but found they could make more money scavenging trash than farming.

What is the Bantar Gebang landfill, and why is it significant?

Bantar Gebang is one of the largest landfills in the world, covering the size of 200 football fields. It serves as a crucial site for waste disposal and recycling in Indonesia.

What are the living conditions like for people at Bantar Gebang?

Around 6,000 people live in slums at the base of Bantar Gebang, working in harsh conditions to sort through the trash for recyclables.

How dangerous is the job of scavenging in Bantar Gebang?

Scavenging at Bantar Gebang is risky, with threats from excavators, methane gas explosions, and the potential for suffocation from rotting waste.

What role do methane gas and methane explosions play in the dangers at Bantar Gebang?

Methane gas, produced by rotting organic waste, poses a serious threat, with the potential to suffocate workers or trigger deadly explosions, like the 2005 explosion in Java.

What are some of the valuable materials scavengers collect from the landfill?

Scavengers primarily collect bottles, cardboard, and metal for recycling. Additionally, local artisans pay for bones to make jewelry.

How much do scavengers like Rasidin earn from their work?

Rasidin makes about $25 a week, which is a third of Indonesia's minimum wage but still more than what many farmers earn.

What is the significance of the middlemen like Adi in the recycling process?

Middlemen like Adi buy the collected goods from the scavengers and sell them to other buyers, facilitating the informal recycling process.

What does Rasidin dream for his children, and what is the broader hope of scavengers like him?

Rasidin dreams that his children might escape the hardships of scavenging and improve their lives, reflecting the broader hope of many scavengers for a better future.