The waste basket of Chureca has existed since the late 1960s in the Acahualinca district of Managua Nicaragua. It covers 42 hectares is bombarded with thousands of tonnes of waste a day and is home to over 170 struggling families. By day over 1500 more Nicaraguans arrive at the site some of whom are children who have been sent by their parents others come by their own initiative. All compete with the adults to find harvest and re-sell recyclable material. Of the minors who go to the waste basket - 88% it has respiratory problems 62% suffer from parasites and 42% have serious skin diseases. Although the sky is clear and blue the air is thick of burning waste or rotting waste. Little houses or casitas lie in a mixed muddle of rubbish and waste. The house at the back of shot is made up of an eclectic collection of doors wooden planks dustbin bags hanging bits of ripped tarpaulin corrugated iron strips and whatever waste material seems to have been lying around. Propped up agains