Have we ever paused to ask ourselves: where does the waste we push out of our homes actually end up? For most people, the goal is simply to get rid of the “dirty things” without a second thought about what happens next. Yet, the story doesn’t end at the edge of our homes.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the global municipal solid waste is projected to rise from 2.1 billion tonnes in 2023 to 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050, with the cost of managing it expected to double. This reality then raises an urgent question about how this waste is been managed, especially in informal or developing economies?

At the heart of this inquiry are individuals I refer to as "Waste Miners". The informal waste pickers who are often unrecognised but perform one of the most vital roles in the sustainability ecosystem. To them, waste is not just filth, it is a resource, something to be sorted, cleaned up, and recycled. According to global reports, informal waste workers make up nearly 80% of the waste management workforce in many regions.

Telling their story is both a necessity and a responsibility. This work is not just a way of using art as a voice for climate resilience. It is a narrative that must be told, a labour that must be seen, and a dignity that must be acknowledged.

Here, they are seen as the protagonists, and the quiet contribution of these men and women to the green and circular economy.

This ongoing body of work on WASTE MINERS see to celebrate the resilience and unseen labour of those who work at the frontlines of environmental sustainability. Through these photographs, I invite viewers not just to witness, but to rethink: How do we manage waste, starting from our own households?

More importantly, how might we recognise and support those who already do so much with so little?