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Jakarta’s Trash Mountain: ‘When People Are Desperate for Jobs, They Come Here’ Jakarta’s Trash Mountain: ‘When People Are Desperate for Jobs, They Come Here’
(8 days later)
BEKASI, Indonesia — Even in the pouring rain, in the middle of the night, they are out scavenging, wearing headlamps to scan a mountain of rotting garbage more than 15 stories high.BEKASI, Indonesia — Even in the pouring rain, in the middle of the night, they are out scavenging, wearing headlamps to scan a mountain of rotting garbage more than 15 stories high.
The trash pickers, some trudging up the heap in mismatched plastic boots, use a hooked metal tool called a “ganco” to flip items over their heads and into large rattan baskets strapped on their backs. A few sort through the trash with their bare hands.The trash pickers, some trudging up the heap in mismatched plastic boots, use a hooked metal tool called a “ganco” to flip items over their heads and into large rattan baskets strapped on their backs. A few sort through the trash with their bare hands.
The stench is overpowering, but it’s only one of many workplace hazards. As they pick through the jumble looking for discarded wood, cardboard, plastic tarps and anything else that can be recycled, they must be careful not to come too close to the bulldozers distributing the waste across an ever-rising plateau. Landslides are a constant danger.The stench is overpowering, but it’s only one of many workplace hazards. As they pick through the jumble looking for discarded wood, cardboard, plastic tarps and anything else that can be recycled, they must be careful not to come too close to the bulldozers distributing the waste across an ever-rising plateau. Landslides are a constant danger.
This is Bantar Gebang, one of the world’s largest landfills, more than 200 football fields in size, accepting as much as 7,000 tons of waste a day from Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital.This is Bantar Gebang, one of the world’s largest landfills, more than 200 football fields in size, accepting as much as 7,000 tons of waste a day from Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital.
Processing all that trash is a 24-hour operation. On a typical day, a thousand orange trucks, filled with garbage and surrounded by hordes of buzzing flies, line up at the base of the landfill to dump their loads. Like a mechanical bucket brigade, giant excavators then relay the waste to the top, more than 150 feet above.Processing all that trash is a 24-hour operation. On a typical day, a thousand orange trucks, filled with garbage and surrounded by hordes of buzzing flies, line up at the base of the landfill to dump their loads. Like a mechanical bucket brigade, giant excavators then relay the waste to the top, more than 150 feet above.
Dozens of squalid villages have sprung up around the mountain. Officials say about 6,000 people reside near the landfill, eking out a living from the trash. Local residents put the number at 20,000.Dozens of squalid villages have sprung up around the mountain. Officials say about 6,000 people reside near the landfill, eking out a living from the trash. Local residents put the number at 20,000.
In some families, children as young as 5 scour for usable trash alongside their parents, said Asep Gunawan, the head of Bantar Gebang district, which includes the landfill.In some families, children as young as 5 scour for usable trash alongside their parents, said Asep Gunawan, the head of Bantar Gebang district, which includes the landfill.
“They have kindergarten and Quran study there, and when they finish that, they help their parents,” Mr. Asep said. “It is easy to pick trash with just an iron stick. And they have no other choice.”“They have kindergarten and Quran study there, and when they finish that, they help their parents,” Mr. Asep said. “It is easy to pick trash with just an iron stick. And they have no other choice.”
The trash pickers, known in Indonesian as “pemulung,” typically earn from $2 to $10 a day, from the plastic, metal, wood and electronic waste they collect. Even animal bones have value, used to make jewelry or as an ingredient in floor tiles or concrete.The trash pickers, known in Indonesian as “pemulung,” typically earn from $2 to $10 a day, from the plastic, metal, wood and electronic waste they collect. Even animal bones have value, used to make jewelry or as an ingredient in floor tiles or concrete.
A few entrepreneurs have set up makeshift shelters on wooden pallets where they sell drinks, snacks and cigarettes to those working the pile.A few entrepreneurs have set up makeshift shelters on wooden pallets where they sell drinks, snacks and cigarettes to those working the pile.
When the facility is operating at full tilt, hundreds of scavengers swarm around the heavy equipment rumbling on the mountain. But the global economic slowdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic has reached even here, adding to the misery.When the facility is operating at full tilt, hundreds of scavengers swarm around the heavy equipment rumbling on the mountain. But the global economic slowdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic has reached even here, adding to the misery.
Most recycling companies that buy waste from the trash pickers have closed their doors, so fewer pemulung are working because they have no place to sell what they collect, said Resa Boenard, co-founder of Seeds of Bantar Gebang, a nonprofit helping the community.Most recycling companies that buy waste from the trash pickers have closed their doors, so fewer pemulung are working because they have no place to sell what they collect, said Resa Boenard, co-founder of Seeds of Bantar Gebang, a nonprofit helping the community.
New social distancing rules imposed by the provincial government took effect this month in Bantar Gebang, prompting even more trash pickers to stay off the pile.New social distancing rules imposed by the provincial government took effect this month in Bantar Gebang, prompting even more trash pickers to stay off the pile.
“Since the virus has spread around the world, it has made life even harder now,” Ms. Resa said. “Most of them are staying at home because they cannot sell plastic anymore.”“Since the virus has spread around the world, it has made life even harder now,” Ms. Resa said. “Most of them are staying at home because they cannot sell plastic anymore.”
As of Sunday, Indonesia had reported 8,882 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, with 743 deaths. Jakarta, a city of about 11 million, has been the hardest hit, with about half the confirmed cases. The virus has also spread to neighboring communities, including Bekasi, where the landfill is.As of Sunday, Indonesia had reported 8,882 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, with 743 deaths. Jakarta, a city of about 11 million, has been the hardest hit, with about half the confirmed cases. The virus has also spread to neighboring communities, including Bekasi, where the landfill is.
No cases of the virus have been reported in the landfill’s villages, but no one has been tested there, either, said Mr. Asep, the district head. The trash pickers don’t qualify for government coronavirus aid because they are not registered as residents.No cases of the virus have been reported in the landfill’s villages, but no one has been tested there, either, said Mr. Asep, the district head. The trash pickers don’t qualify for government coronavirus aid because they are not registered as residents.
There is a widespread belief in Indonesia that living in unsanitary conditions helps people build immunity to diseases like the coronavirus — an unscientific view that will be put dangerously to the test in the landfill’s shantytowns.There is a widespread belief in Indonesia that living in unsanitary conditions helps people build immunity to diseases like the coronavirus — an unscientific view that will be put dangerously to the test in the landfill’s shantytowns.
“People in Bantar Gebang are not really scared about this virus,” said Ms. Resa, 34. “I don’t see it has really changed their habits.”“People in Bantar Gebang are not really scared about this virus,” said Ms. Resa, 34. “I don’t see it has really changed their habits.”
Updated June 24, 2020
Scientists around the country have tried to identify everyday materials that do a good job of filtering microscopic particles. In recent tests, HEPA furnace filters scored high, as did vacuum cleaner bags, fabric similar to flannel pajamas and those of 600-count pillowcases. Other materials tested included layered coffee filters and scarves and bandannas. These scored lower, but still captured a small percentage of particles.
A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico.
The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth.
The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave.
So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement.
Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.
A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study.
The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April.
Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.
If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)
If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.
She was 6 when her family moved to the area. Her parents bought a rice field, but it was eventually swallowed up by the ever-growing mountain of trash.She was 6 when her family moved to the area. Her parents bought a rice field, but it was eventually swallowed up by the ever-growing mountain of trash.
At school, other children called her “Princess of the Dump” because her clothes smelled of the landfill. The nickname stuck. But she excelled in her studies and a Turkish family gave her a scholarship to help her through university.At school, other children called her “Princess of the Dump” because her clothes smelled of the landfill. The nickname stuck. But she excelled in her studies and a Turkish family gave her a scholarship to help her through university.
She could have been one of the few to escape the landfill for a better life, but she returned to help the families there, especially the children.She could have been one of the few to escape the landfill for a better life, but she returned to help the families there, especially the children.
Now, with the economic slowdown, her organization helps feed 600 families a day and has launched a campaign seeking donations.Now, with the economic slowdown, her organization helps feed 600 families a day and has launched a campaign seeking donations.
“People don’t need masks or hand sanitizer,” she said. “People need food to feed their families.”“People don’t need masks or hand sanitizer,” she said. “People need food to feed their families.”
One volunteer in the makeshift community is Juni Romamti Ezer Laumakani, a soap salesman who lives about 20 minutes away. He has been giving children at the dump free guitar lessons for 15 years.One volunteer in the makeshift community is Juni Romamti Ezer Laumakani, a soap salesman who lives about 20 minutes away. He has been giving children at the dump free guitar lessons for 15 years.
Because of the pandemic, he stopped the lessons a month ago but still visits the villages to check on the families and offer encouragement.Because of the pandemic, he stopped the lessons a month ago but still visits the villages to check on the families and offer encouragement.
“Even though they have collected a lot of trash, they have no place to sell it,” said Mr. Juni, 40. “So those things have no value. And it’s stressing them out, too. There’s no income but they still have expenses.”“Even though they have collected a lot of trash, they have no place to sell it,” said Mr. Juni, 40. “So those things have no value. And it’s stressing them out, too. There’s no income but they still have expenses.”
The landfill opened more than 30 years ago, and residents of the surrounding district have long complained about the stench and the skin problems they suffer.The landfill opened more than 30 years ago, and residents of the surrounding district have long complained about the stench and the skin problems they suffer.
“The ground water in the landfill area is contaminated, and they cannot use the water anymore,” said Mr. Asep, the local official. “All of the people are upset.”“The ground water in the landfill area is contaminated, and they cannot use the water anymore,” said Mr. Asep, the local official. “All of the people are upset.”
Most of those who have migrated to Banter Gebang were farmers whose crops failed during the dry season. Some have stayed for a decade or more.Most of those who have migrated to Banter Gebang were farmers whose crops failed during the dry season. Some have stayed for a decade or more.
“When people are desperate for jobs, they come here,” Ms. Resa said.“When people are desperate for jobs, they come here,” Ms. Resa said.
Although fewer trash pickers are working, the garbage trucks keep coming. Many items that could be recycled are instead being buried under the incoming crush.Although fewer trash pickers are working, the garbage trucks keep coming. Many items that could be recycled are instead being buried under the incoming crush.
Ms. Resa hopes Jakarta residents will get the message to throw away less stuff.Ms. Resa hopes Jakarta residents will get the message to throw away less stuff.
“We are telling people in Jakarta, ‘please reduce your waste,’” she said. “We can’t process it because we can’t sell it. It just makes the mountain grow higher.”“We are telling people in Jakarta, ‘please reduce your waste,’” she said. “We can’t process it because we can’t sell it. It just makes the mountain grow higher.”
Adam Dean reported from Bekasi, Indonesia, and Richard C. Paddock from Bangkok. Muktita Suhartono contributed reporting from Bangkok, and Dera Menra Sijabat from Jakarta.Adam Dean reported from Bekasi, Indonesia, and Richard C. Paddock from Bangkok. Muktita Suhartono contributed reporting from Bangkok, and Dera Menra Sijabat from Jakarta.