This is Mike...
Trash collection in Nicaragua is similar yet different to what we are accustomed to in the states, and as the whole is more labor intensive and less mechanical. In addition, trash pick-up days are more frequent at 3 times per week. Collecting garbage around the world is a rather thankless job, but without these guys cities would be buried by their own waste. The images below demonstrate just how un-mechanized it is down here relative to the industrialized world.
Prior to the garbage collectors ever claiming your curbside trash it is picked clean of most recyclables by the extreme poor. You heard it right, the trash is usually picked clean of items of value prior to the refuse collectors ever showing up. Thus, most of what actually gets hauled off is non-reusable trash. The guys on the truck still do find a few missed cans, plastic bottles, etc. which are collected in big bags for sale after the work is done. The proceeds of the recycled items are split among the men. In a way, this system ensures recycling and minimizes what ends up in land fill areas. Though it was hard to see at first, there is a silver lining to this method of trash collection.
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| Men manually loading the truck and separating garbage. |
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| Men quickly sifting through the rubbish before more gets piled on top. |
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| The large sacks are filled with cardboard, cans, plastics, and anything else of value. |
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