Man with bales of recycled plastic waset

Close to the landfill which, from a distance, I’d mistaken for a mountain, the workers sorted, ground, cleaned, cut & recycled. Hour after hour. It was so so hot inside the sheds and lean-tos which were strung out along the long, dry, dusty road, between the motorway and the landfill, like beads on a necklace - reality blurred, & the air burned. People produce 1.3 billion tons of rubbish each year, but only 9% of plastic rubbish is recycled while the need to recycle will only become greater. The human cost of this, particularly in the developing world, is very high - people work very long hours in dangerous and often poisonous conditions. It is crucial that we remember these people’s humanity & dignity, & act accordingly.