“Plastic Gold” is a project launched in 2021 in the city of Cuiabá that documents the daily lives of solid waste collectors and the importance of their work.
The title refers to the metaphor that inspires the project: plastic, a material that symbolizes consumer society, becomes a source of income and dignity when collected and recycled—a true “gold” in the hands of those who transform it.
During the first years of the project, I followed the daily lives of collectors at the former landfill in Cuiabá, which was officially deactivated in 2024. Between 2024 and 2025, I traveled between the Brazilian cities of Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, and Curitiba, Paraná, documenting the work of cooperatives—spaces where organized collectors transform what would otherwise be waste into sustainable opportunities.
The project reveals the personal stories of those who found, in collecting recyclable materials, a way to rebuild their lives—men and women who, despite their social invisibility, are protagonists in the fight against pollution and in the construction of a fairer and more sustainable future.
About Priscila Ribeiro
Priscila Ribeiro is a Brazilian documentary photographer based in Curitiba, working across different regions of Brazil. A member of Women Photograph, she is an alumna of the VII Agency Photojournalism Program and a winner of the 2026 World Press Photo Contest in the Singles category for South America.
She works as a freelance photographer for media outlets and is currently developing an independent, long-term documentary project on Brazil’s housing crisis. Her work explores social issues that shape bodies, territories, and personal histories, addressing themes such as inequality, housing, human rights, gender-based violence, and environmental justice.
Through long-term engagement and close collaboration with the communities she photographs, Ribeiro’s practice is grounded in attentive listening, sensitivity, and the trust she builds with those portrayed. Her work reflects a deep commitment to empathy and social justice, bringing visibility to stories of resilience, resistance, and belonging. [Official Website]
