Misery At A Phnom Penh Cambodia Landfill

PR Log (Press Release) – Jul 31, 2008 – Story abstract: "If you live in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, your rubbish is headed to the Stung Meanchey landfill, nicknamed by residents as "Smokey Mountain".  Stung Meanchey opened more than 15 years ago to serve as the city dump and today some 2000 registered workers, including 600 children, work at the site sifting through roughly 700 tons of waste that arrives each day.  An adult who spends 12 hours per day scavenging through this sea of waste may earn as much as  $2.50 USD, and workers come to labor at Stung Meanchey to escape the crushing poverty and malnourishment in rural Cambodia.  They pay a price, breathing in heavy air polluted by toxic byproducts from the flaming heaps of garbage."

Covering this issue, John Brown visited the Stung Meanchey Landfill in Phnom Penh, Cambodia to get a closer look. The result is this photo reportage that depicts the shocking circumstances under which the scavengers work.

To have a look at the material, please go to: http://pa.photoshelter.com/gallery-show/G0000MMfAX1Uw0Mg


The package includes a choice from among 200 publishable and captioned photos, along with a 1300 word article that is now available for print publications around the world. Please contact  photojournalist John Brown if you are interested: e-mail: mmaster891@hotmail.com.