Relocation of Jeddah Dump Raises Fears of Unemployment Among Trash Pickers
Ali is a young Chadian man who lives, works and eats in and from Jeddah’s trash dump.
“The dump is my life and I don’t know what to do when it’s relocated,” he said, referring to the municipality’s plans to relocate the dump to a larger, more modern complex, one that will also be fenced-in, making it difficult for men like Ali to continue their trade. The new dump is tentatively scheduled to open in January and will reportedly include recycling and reclamation facilities.
Ali is one of hundreds who see the hidden treasures in what is known to the rest of us as garbage. These nearly 150 trash-dump recyclers seek their wealth by burning garbage to expose metals and collect whatever can be sold as raw material.
