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Subscribe to RSSEvery now and then I see a set of pictures that reminds me of just how comfortable my life is. Rodrigo Abd’s photographs from “the Mine” in Guatemala City shows what life is like for the poor souls who eke out an existence by scavenging for scrap metal in a city dump. Their work, if you can call it that, is dangerous and dirty. I wouldn’t have believed it happens if Rodrigo hadn’t made the pictures.
All photos by Rodrigo Abd / AP
People search for scrap metal in contaminated water at the bottom of one of the biggest trash dumps, known as "The Mine," in Guatemala City, Oct. 19. Hundreds of informal workers descend daily into the mounds of the landfill and the rushing waters that come from a storm tunnel and a sewer at the bottom of a gorge to search for scrap metal to sell.
Every day, about 300 people hike to the bottom of the ravine and wade into the water in search of rings and bracelets made of silver or gold. The water sifts and carries away the lighter garbage, leaving heavy metals on the stream bed.
"I make more money coming here than going to a company where they would continually scold me," says 41-year-old Eddie Miranda.
He got lucky on a recent day. "I found a bracelet with 9 grams of gold. I got 2,000 quetzals ($256) for it." Read more...
(Left) David Flores digs for scrap metal in contaminated water at the bottom of "The Mine" on Oct. 14.
(Right) Men sort scrap metal they found at the bottom of "The Mine" on Oct. 17.
(Left) A man holds up a gold ring, Oct. 6, he found as he was searching for scrap metal in "The Mine".
(Right) A man, known as Ronnie, carries a sack of metal he collected on Oct. 14. Ronnie also works as a security guard to protect workers from thieves who steal the metal they collect.
A girl named "Baluquita," 15, searches for scrap metal on Oct. 4.
More PhotoBlog posts from Guatemala
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This is what an absence of environmental protection regulations looks like. Is this what you want Ron Paul? Republicans?
nah, we want socialism.
True Obama American!!! LMAO
UPDATE FROM MSNBC:
Our apologies readers. We made an error in reporting this was Guatemala. This was actually from our newsdesk in Detroit!
This is what 7 BILLION people are doing to the earth, daily....and there are idiots out there who are STILL advocating the "Go forth and multiply" mentality!! "When will we ever learn..."
Instead of making all comments and complaints, we should send our government employees to work in South America.
WOW! is all I can say!
Next time someone in America wants to complain about their life, they should look at these photos and keep it to themselves.
Ray, what must be considered is this is where a large number of the jobs in America are going and yet the people of Guadamala would rather risk life and limb do this because they can make more money in "The Mine" than in the manufacturing plants......Yet the top 1% percent in America just keep getting richer.
This is exactly what the US is being rapidly turned into. We'll have the same conditions and same standard of living thanks to every last stinking one of our elected officials, in particularly congress. Great job guys! Hope you rot in h*ll.
Dear Mr. VanGelder,
Please review your comment for a sanity check. When looking at the photos in the blog, do you really think any Democrat or Republican politician at any level of politics would have any different reaction to these photos than most viewers had? To think the Republicans would advance an agenda that would allow this sort of filth is identical to assuming clean cities and countries are only run by Liberals. Was it a politician or a scientist who declared lead in paint was dangerous? Rudy Gulliani's New York (R) was cleaned up just as beautifully as Richard M. Daley's (D) Chicago. I know, I lived in both cities. Neither wanted to see trash or filth. Aren't the poor and poverty-like conditions of the highly Democratic 9th Ward in New Orleans just as appalling as the trailer-park poor conditions of the mostly Republican backwoods of Mississippi? Don't you think both parties would rather have it looking beautiful? Do only Democrats recycle? Do only Republicans create trash?
Are you seeing the idiocy of your thinking?
Please grow up and be part of the solution in your community. It's really easy to push blame on a whole party for all the world's evils.
Mike, the difference is the republican "backwoods of Mississippi" will vote against their own self interest because of social idiologies. gods, guns and gays have alway led these voters. The point you didn't make about Gulliani is he was elected in a primarily democratic city. While I do believe the entire political system is corrupt, I do believe the voters of each party have different world views.
The irony is your last statement and the use of the word "evils", the driving force behind good people voting against their own self interest. I think it is fair to blame one party for using "evil" or the fear of "evil" to further an agenda.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpCHvHWUAvw&feature=related
Liberals are smart...