Seventy-eight million tons of garbage. That’s what this place the Antigo Aterro Sanitário de Jardim Gramacho held for 34 years. Can you imagine? This seemingly unremarkable patch of land was once one of the largest landfills in the world.
For decades the Antigo Aterro Sanitário de Jardim Gramacho served as a dumping ground for Rio de Janeiro and surrounding municipalities. It wasn’t just Rio. Niterói Nova Iguaçu Duque de Caxias Petrpolis Teresópolis São João de Meriti Nilópolis Queimados and Mesquita all sent their waste here. The sheer scale of the operation was staggering.
But Jardim Gramacho was more than just a landfill. It was a community. Thousands of catadores scavengers made their living picking through the mountains of trash. They found recyclables a means of survival in a harsh environment. Their work and their lives are beautifully captured in the film Waste Land.
The closing of the Antigo Aterro Sanitário de Jardim Gramacho in June 2012 marked a turning point. The promises of revitalization and improved living conditions for the former catadores remain largely unfulfilled. Poverty increased drastically after the landfill closed. The landfill’s legacy however endures.
A methane gas plant now operates on the site supplying the Refinaria de Duque de Caxias. But the scars remain. Many informal landfills still exist nearby. Families continue to depend on the trash for survival a stark reminder of the complex social and economic issues surrounding the Antigo Aterro Sanitário de Jardim Gramacho.
Today 18 recycling cooperatives operate employing approximately 300 catadores. Sadly over 4000 remain unemployed. Many lack even basic identification documents hindering their access to assistance. The challenges are immense.
Despite the hardships there are pockets of hope. Organizations like the Rede Educare work with the Association of Collectors of the Metropolitan Landfill of Jardim Gramacho. They’ve established a library and provide support for young mothers and adolescents. Other community initiatives include artisan workshops and capoeira classes.
The Antigo Aterro Sanitário de Jardim Gramacho is a place of contrasts. A story of environmental devastation yet of human resilience. A place where hope struggles against despair. A legacy that refuses to be forgotten.