Smokey Mountain facts for kids
Smokey Mountain was once a very large landfill (a place where a lot of trash is dumped) in Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. It got its name because of the thick smoke that often came from the burning waste there. Imagine a mountain made of trash, reaching high into the sky! About 2 million tons of garbage were piled up, creating this huge "mountain."
Many families who were very poor lived in a shanty town right next to Smokey Mountain. They made a living by searching through the dumped waste. They would find things like plastic bottles, glass, cardboard, and even copper wire to sell. This was how they earned money to live.
What Happened to Smokey Mountain?
The government of the Philippines decided to close Smokey Mountain in 1995. This meant no more trash was allowed to be dumped there. They worked hard to clean up the area. The giant pile of waste was covered with dirt, and then grass and trees were planted on top. The shanty town where people lived was taken down, and new houses were built nearby for some of the families.
The Challenges After Closing
Even with the cleanup, some problems continued. Many of the poor families who used to live at Smokey Mountain moved to a new landfill site very close by. This new landfill still receives a lot of trash. The families built a new shanty town there, and they still spend their days looking through the waste for items they can sell, just like before. It shows how difficult it can be to solve big problems like poverty and waste management.
Images for kids
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Smokey Mountain, in 2011.
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Housing built around Smokey Mountain, seen in 2011.
