Loro della Munnizza (2011)

The scrap merchants in Palermo have weathered faces and hands that bear the marks of a life of hard work. The film accompanies the history of these 'ecological workers', professionals that have been recycling rubbish for generations. Since the 1950's they have been working in hellish conditions at Bellolampo, the city landfill, where they have been rummaging through mountains of stinking rubbish to find materials that could be resold. After they had been denied access over there, the scrap merchants came to the city, whizzing about in their 'Ape' vans, collecting not only card board, iron and aluminium but also clothes, utensils and the most oddly assorted things. In this way they managed for years to provide for 400 families. They collected items for recycling, a service that the public administration had neglected to provide. In 2009 the rubbish management crisis and the collapse of the company dealing with that led to a state of emergency in Palermo as well as in Naples. The 'munnizza', the rubbish, becomes the citizens' nightmare. The streets are swamped by rubbish, the rubbish tip is overflowing. At night the rubbish bins go up in flames. However, in spite of their great success the scrap merchants aren't allowed to continue their business. The politicians concerned don't seem to be interested in exploring possible solutions to the problem but seem determined to insist that the only viable alternative is to build incinerators, big business.