Like many aspects of Mongolian life, one does not associate Mongolia with such common everyday problems as rubbish dumps. I am seeing Mongolia in a much brighter light than just the place from which Ghengis Kahn (Spelling) hailed.
I will link this on Tomus. It is extremely interesting.
AV
amie
· 9 months ago
I have no words to say. Just sad.
Reader
· 9 months ago
One small step for Japan, one giant leap for Mongolia. I hope they'll be able to maintain the new facilities well. Now all we need are animal shelters, recycling plants and figuring out the ger horoolol problem...
amstravels
· 9 months ago
I had a visit to the Tolgoit dump yesterday so feel fortunate to have some first-hand accounts of what happens now and what might happen at the new dump, from talking to some of the waste scavengers who live and work on the site. I have my doubts that the new site will actually meet enviro and operational standards. Firstly, because the scavengers will still be allowed to work on the new site (once they have 'official scavenger work cards' issued - which they don't want); the practice of having people scavenge in dump sites isn't 'best practice' in waste management (including in Japan, who are funding this upgrade). Secondly, because there will be people scavenging on the new site, there won't be compactor machines operating (i.e. squash down the waste and cover it up with dirt to stop it all blowing away), which again isn't even 'good' practice let alone 'best' practice.
bilgoon
· 9 months ago
I was wondering whether they'd allow scavengers at the new site. The earlier reports claimed the new site would have compactors and a landfill etc. I guess that's no longer happening.
amstravels
· 9 months ago
Unless they are just saying that to keep the scavengers happy ... for now. Sounds like it wouldn't be the first time they've been promised things that haven't been met and its easier to risk pissing off a smaller group of marginalised people in the community rather than Japanese donors who will be building a brand new facility.
amstravels
· 9 months ago
The other bit I forgot to add: Most of the scavengers get extremely pissed off when people take photos of them, so I'm surprised that the photographer was allowed to get in there with a camera. Fair enough, as they told us that during the last election campaign, a few politicians went to visit them, promising National ID Cards, which would enable these citizens to access health, education for their kids and benefits like everyone else who is registered in Mongolia. A broken promise - they are still waiting for their ID Cards. So the next time a politician visited, they threw rocks at them. Similarly, when a camera crew came and interviewed them, they were outraged to see that in the final cut, none of the positive elements of their interviews made it in - instead, only serving to highlight the negatives, portraying the scavengers as victims of society, rather than real people with real lives, with both good and bad parts just like everyone else.
bilgoon
· 9 months ago
The suuder.com photographers had the same experience, but were allowed to take photos after talking to the two kids featured in most of the photos.
amstravels
· 9 months ago
I'd really love to give the people who are working on the site a video camera each - how would they tell their own story? :-)
Small Footprints
· 9 months ago
I'm here from Tomus Arcanum ... this is really interesting. Garbage dumps, the world over, are a problem. I agree with Amy ... I'd like to see the people working tell their story.
The trash from your Bin makes a living for some people, these people are looking for stuffs to sell stuffs like plastic bottles, tin can, aluminum and sometimes left over foods.
All Comments
I will link this on Tomus. It is extremely interesting.
AV
I have my doubts that the new site will actually meet enviro and operational standards. Firstly, because the scavengers will still be allowed to work on the new site (once they have 'official scavenger work cards' issued - which they don't want); the practice of having people scavenge in dump sites isn't 'best practice' in waste management (including in Japan, who are funding this upgrade).
Secondly, because there will be people scavenging on the new site, there won't be compactor machines operating (i.e. squash down the waste and cover it up with dirt to stop it all blowing away), which again isn't even 'good' practice let alone 'best' practice.
Most of the scavengers get extremely pissed off when people take photos of them, so I'm surprised that the photographer was allowed to get in there with a camera. Fair enough, as they told us that during the last election campaign, a few politicians went to visit them, promising National ID Cards, which would enable these citizens to access health, education for their kids and benefits like everyone else who is registered in Mongolia. A broken promise - they are still waiting for their ID Cards. So the next time a politician visited, they threw rocks at them.
Similarly, when a camera crew came and interviewed them, they were outraged to see that in the final cut, none of the positive elements of their interviews made it in - instead, only serving to highlight the negatives, portraying the scavengers as victims of society, rather than real people with real lives, with both good and bad parts just like everyone else.
Very interesting piece!
Small Footprints
http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com