Jardim Gramacho
Introduction
The Jardim Gramacho dump. One of the Earth’s largest open-air landfills, seaside dump located on the, once beautiful, Guanabara Bay, Brazil. Only 35km from the world-famous Copacabana beach. Since the unofficial opening in the late 1970’s the landfill continued to grow and at one of the dumps largest state, it spread over 321 acres of land, also the equivalent of 244 American football fields. Jardim Gramacho is home to seagulls, vultures and homes to people. This people are called the catadores. People who spend their days scouring through the landfill, days ranging from 4am-10pm.
History
Established in 1970 as a sanitary waste facility, Jardim Gramacho soon became home to the catadores people who spend their …show more content…
Environmentalists blamed Gramacho for the high levels of pollution in Rio’s once immaculate Guanabara Bay, where tons of run-off from the garbage had leaked. No lining on the massive landfill’s floor is the reason leaks of toxic waste drained directly into the water.
There was no lining on the massive landfill’s floor to prevent leaks of the toxic waste that was routinely dumped there, and the fetid juices produced by the rot of organic materials, helping make much of the bay unsafe for swimming.
According to Brazil's environment ministry, only 18% of the entire country's recycling is done as part of a formal program. That means most recycling is done by catadores.
Wasteland Movie
The catadores and Jardim Gramacho were catapulted to international fame with The Wasteland movie is a 2010 Oscar nominated documentary that told the story of artist Vik Muniz. The Brazilian-born artist spent time living in New York before returning to Rio to use his art to change the lives of the catadores. While ‘Wasteland’ did not end up winning the Oscar, but the project raised money for the catadores. The film also helped restore the dignity of catadores, who have long helped the region recycle much of its
Introduction
The Jardim Gramacho dump. One of the Earth’s largest open-air landfills, seaside dump located on the, once beautiful, Guanabara Bay, Brazil. Only 35km from the world-famous Copacabana beach. Since the unofficial opening in the late 1970’s the landfill continued to grow and at one of the dumps largest state, it spread over 321 acres of land, also the equivalent of 244 American football fields. Jardim Gramacho is home to seagulls, vultures and homes to people. This people are called the catadores. People who spend their days scouring through the landfill, days ranging from 4am-10pm.
History
Established in 1970 as a sanitary waste facility, Jardim Gramacho soon became home to the catadores people who spend their …show more content…
Environmentalists blamed Gramacho for the high levels of pollution in Rio’s once immaculate Guanabara Bay, where tons of run-off from the garbage had leaked. No lining on the massive landfill’s floor is the reason leaks of toxic waste drained directly into the water.
There was no lining on the massive landfill’s floor to prevent leaks of the toxic waste that was routinely dumped there, and the fetid juices produced by the rot of organic materials, helping make much of the bay unsafe for swimming.
According to Brazil's environment ministry, only 18% of the entire country's recycling is done as part of a formal program. That means most recycling is done by catadores.
Wasteland Movie
The catadores and Jardim Gramacho were catapulted to international fame with The Wasteland movie is a 2010 Oscar nominated documentary that told the story of artist Vik Muniz. The Brazilian-born artist spent time living in New York before returning to Rio to use his art to change the lives of the catadores. While ‘Wasteland’ did not end up winning the Oscar, but the project raised money for the catadores. The film also helped restore the dignity of catadores, who have long helped the region recycle much of its