A Rio dump , the largest in Guanabara Bay , is closing after the last few years . Drug-ridden slums , informal economy grew up around Vik Muniz 's . It 's part of a continuing effort led by Rio 's state environment minister to close all of the area 's five official open-air landfills -- as well as an unknown number of clandestine ones -- by 2014 . 244 of scavengers , called catadores , made their living off recycling trash there . The government is promising to retrain workers , improve slums , turn land into park .
A Rio dump , the largest in Guanabara Bay , is closing after the last few years . Drug-ridden slums , informal economy grew up around Vik Muniz 's . 244 of scavengers , called catadores , made their living off recycling trash there . The government is promising to retrain workers , improve slums , turn land into park .