Coastal Park Landfill, cape town
The Silenced Voices
While shooting this story for news24, I connected with the more-than-human voices that not only endure but thrive in this wasteland of human excess. Birdlife is abundant—pelicans, in particular, have made this landfill their new home, having moved from calmer lakes and beaches nearby because it offers plentiful food.
Plants refuse to give up here, too. Surrounded by a protected marine reserve, coastal vegetation pushes through the trash, stubbornly growing despite the chaos. The wind, relentless and loud, carries lightweight debris back to humans or dumps it into the sea—nature’s reminder that it will not be silenced.
Witnessing this resilience reshaped my understanding of adaptability: even in the most unlikely places, life finds a way and refuses to surrender.
The story: Renewable Energy from Waste
Commissioned by News24 / Content Lounge
I documented the Coastal Park Landfill in South Africa, where up to 800 trucks of waste arrive daily near a protected marine reserve. My brief was to visualize how methane gas—a potent greenhouse gas from decomposing waste—is captured through wells and burned to create renewable electricity, reducing Cape Town’s reliance on fossil fuels.
Working in intense heat and wearing masks, I spent days climbing massive trash hills, photographing the pipes, flaring facilities, scientists, and workers behind this innovative process. The resulting visuals tell the story of turning waste into a vital energy resource for the city.