Zigzagging through bustling streets, trolleys piled high with sheets of discarded cardboard, these elderly scavengers are hard to miss in Hong Kong. Many are in their 70s or older, hauling tens of kilograms of cardboard for a pittance in order to scrape by in one of Asia’s richest cities. They navigate steep hills and narrow streets, baking sunshine and torrential downpours. They have no official job title, leaving them at risk of having their trolleys or hauls confiscated by municipal officials.
