High-Res Stock Photography: The Workers of Bantar Gebangs Waste Landfill
Title:

The Workers of Bantar Gebang's Waste Landfill
Caption: Workers navigate around a truck and earth mover at the Bantar Gebang Waste Landfill on the 5th of February, 2009.The Bantar Gebang waste landfill has been termed as the largest landfill in the Indonesian Islands. Established in 1989 in Bekasi, East Jakarta, an area that was predominately forest land, now 20 years later an industry based around the unwanted refuse of other's has been created. As the landfill grew and expanded, so did the formation of the village. As other landfills in the Jakarta area closed down, the amount of refuse being trucked into Bantar Gebang increased from 3,000 tones to 5,000 tones per day.Villagers from around Java moved to the Bekasi area on the promise of work, sorting through mountains of rubbish looking for recyclables. With over 600 trucks per day, around 5,000 workers have found constant work and a home amongst the landfill. Working in 12 hour shifts around the clock, for 20 years they were just an added presence, allowed to do what they needed to do to survive. Pecking orders were established, middlemen were introduced to provide an outlet for the recyclables, and housing was factored into the amount paid. In 2009, 23 private investors of the dump pushed for 'worker regulation' and expansion, a move that swayed the government to look into avenues for change and future commercial investors.The global economic crisis of the late 2000's hit the industry hard. In recent years, teams of 6 workers could make approx. 130,000 Rupiah (AU$15) per team/per week, in 2009 the teams could make around 60-80,000 Rp (AU$9.50) per week. Workers face diseases ranging from skin irritations to tuberculosis, however many go untreated as the cost of medical treatment is simply unaffordable. As a result, workers turn to traditional medicine and the local elementary school has adopted teaching the students how to treat working related infections and diseases.
Creative image #: 148350184
License type: Rights-managed
Photographer:

Mark Tipple
Collection:

Photonica World

Credit: Mark Tipple
Max file size/dimensions/dpi: 60.2 MB - 5616 x 3744 px (18.72 x 12.48 in.) - 300 dpi - RGB
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Release information: Not released. More information
Copyright: © Mark Tipple
Keywords: People, Hopelessness, Horizontal, Outdoors, Basket, Distraught, Indonesia, Landfill, Working, Messy, Day, Java, Jakarta, Poverty, Adult, Color Image, Overcast, Dump Truck, Construction Vehicle, Large Group Of People, Men, Women, Photography, Reportage, Candid, Real People, Capital Cities, Adults Only, 2009. Find similar images
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Subject
2009
Basket
Capital Cities
Construction Vehicle
Day
Distraught
Dump Truck
Landfill
Messy
Outdoors
Overcast
People
Photography
Poverty
Reportage
Working
People
Adult
Large Group Of People
Men
Women
Adults Only
Location
Indonesia
Jakarta
Java
Concept
Hopelessness
Real People
Style
Horizontal
Color Image
Candid
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