Cambodia is a developing country still recovering after devastating Pol-Pot regime and the civil war in 1970's. A significant percentage of the poorest population is involved in the recycling activities as it's the only way they can sustain themselves. Usually, a waste scavenger can earn less than a dollar per day. However, a waitress employed in a restaurant doesn't earn much more for 10-hours work day. Even 3 years old kids start to work, as this is the only way a family can survive. A large number of plastic bottles and aluminum cans is recycled in Cambodia. But also such materials like cardboard paper or scrap metal retrieved from anything possible. The scavengers sell the collected waste to a small warehouses and sorting depots. Then the material is sold to the big warehouses and recycling factories processing the waste and then exporting the final material to Thailand or Vietnam. Some people live on a garbage dumps outside every biggest cities. They live in makeshift huts, in the midst of permanent terrible odour and in terrible sanitary conditions. Some of the dumps are controlled by local criminal organizations and the inhabitants must pay them 'protection' fees.
Garbage dump outside the city of Siem Reap. Just before the dawn. Some of the children woke up already and make fire while waiting for new garbage trucks arrival.
Poor settlements on a garbage dump in Siem Reap, early morning. People wake up and start another busy day on a dump.
Garbage dump at early morning. People wait for garbage trucks' regular arrival.
Garbage dump residents browse recently dumped waste looking for recyclable material or any other useful objects. Families compete with each other to find the most valuable items.
A girl together with other garbage dump residents browse recently dumped waste looking for recyclable material or any other useful objects.
Two children in front of one of the houses on a garbage dump in Siem Reap.
A 'restaurant' in the village on a garbage dump. A girl cooks a basic meals for their clients - usually rice or noodles with sauces, but no meat.
Garbage dump in Siem Reap. A girl goes to school on an adult bicycle. Only some of the inhabitants can afford to provide educations for their children. Others have to work with their parents on the dump.
Poor settlements on a garbage dump in Siem Reap, early morning. A man dresses up and prepare for work on a dump.
Vietnamese minority slums in Phnom Penh. Most of the inhabitants collect recyclable waste for living.
A recyclable waste collector walks in the center of Phnom Penh. Waste collectors are the poorest people in Cambodia and this job is their only way to gain any income.
A young scavenger watch a man playing a ball. Seafront promenade in Sihanoukville, a popular tourist destination in Cambodia.
Young collectors take a nap on the riverside promenade in Phnom Penh. They scavenge the streets for useful material since early morning till very late every day.
A cleaning company's employee carries garbage container at night in center of Phnom Penh. All potentially valuable materials whose can be sold are already taken away by scavengers.
People arrive in a warehouse to sell a collected recyclable waste.
A depot employees buy a bag of plastic bottles from a collector.
A girl leaves a warehouse after selling of some of recyclable waste.
Children work in a storage warehouse in Siem Reap after school time. Having this job they can earn money necessary to pay for their school. Most of the children from the poorest families don't go to school at all because their families just can't afford that.
A young girl works in a storage warehouse in Siem Reap. She cleans the bottles with a knife and sort them among the containers.
Blocks of pressed aluminium cans in a large waste warehouse and processing factory in Phnom Penh.
Minced recycled plastic dries up in a sun. Phnom Penh suburbs.
Young men load minced recycled plastic into bags in front of a recycling warehouse in Siem Reap.
Young men load minced recycled plastic into bags for sale. A warehouse owner plays with his kids at the background.
Warehouse employees load a truck with a pressed cardboard paper. The transport will leave at the evening to Vietnam.
A recycling warehouse employee having a rest after work.
