Inside Kolkata’s Recycling Factories

Kolkata’s heart is surrounded by hundreds of landfills and recycling factories. The biggest dumping ground Dhapa, a massive hill made of waste, swallows everything imaginable from plastic over toxic medical waste to body parts. 4000 tons per day; very restricted access since some recent “incidents”. In the nearby slums like Topsia, families separate, clean and recycle all the trash to make a living. They make around 100IR per day, which is less than rickshaw drivers usually earn, but: there will always be some work todo!

July 2018