(Baonghean.vn) - Every day, tens of tons of waste are collected at the temporary landfill in Kim Son town (Que Phong district), and for many poor people, this landfill is where they make a living, regardless of the weather.
 |
| Undeterred by the foul smell, every day 4 to 6 people, mostly women, diligently make a living on the Kim Son town landfill, which covers an area of over 1000 square meters. |
 |
| Their "protective" gear consists simply of a pair of sandals or boots. Most of them rummage through the trash with bare hands. The trash here is of all kinds, from the most valuable to the most worthless; anything that's thrown away, without sorting, is dumped in the landfill. |
 |
| The stench from the garbage was so strong it gave them headaches, but they still diligently and quietly went about their work. |
 |
| The most common spoils of war were plastic bottles, tin cans, etc. |
 |
According to Ms. Lo Thi Xuyet, a resident of Bon village, Tien Phong commune, one of the people making a living at the landfill, 2-4 garbage trucks from various collection points arrive here every day. Therefore, she has to time her arrival precisely to be on time, as arriving late makes it difficult to find "good stuff." She's not the only one; nearly a dozen people currently make their living here every day. |
 |
| Making a living on the garbage dump also carries many potential accident risks. Although not major, cuts to the hands and feet leading to pus formation and infection are difficult to avoid. |
 |
| However, due to the need to earn a living, the daily struggle for survival at the landfill continues. |
 |
According to most of those making a living at the landfill, the price of scrap metal is currently falling, and even with their best efforts, they only earn around 30,000 dong a day. However, they have to cling to the landfill to survive because, besides a few acres of farmland, they don't know what else to do in these difficult economic times. They use a few mats and plastic bags on makeshift sticks to create a shelter from the sun and rain right next to a clump of trees near the landfill to "work." |
 |
| Besides their tools, these women who scavenge through garbage also bring their lunch or a bag of betel nuts to eat during breaks. |
Nguyen Cuong
