EnvJustice

Delhi Waste Wars is a short video documentary directed by Leah Temper and edited by Siobhan McKeown.

A battle is brewing in Delhi, India over access and control to garbage. For decades, informal wastepickers and recyclers have turned garbage into cash. They cost the government and taxpayer nothing, yet they significantly reduce the waste sent to already overflowing landfills, improve recycling rates and “cooling the earth” by reducing carbon emissions. But recent government plans to privatize trash collection have put the livelihoods of the wastepickers under threat. Meanwhile, new plans to build incinerators funded by carbon credits mean the resources the recyclers depend on may soon go up in smoke.

This documentary takes a street-eye view, charting the wastepickers´ struggle for their rights and recognition, and gaining a local perspective on how to create a truly sustainable waste management system in one of the world´s biggest and most densely populated cities.

For more information on alternatives to incineration:
GAIA: no-burn.org