A couple in Russia had their wedding pictures taken in gas masks at an illegal chemical waste dump as an attempt to create awareness about toxic waste.

The activists, Victoria Menshikova and Oleg Kabanov, say they do not belong to any specific organisation or group, but feel strongly that environmental pollution affects everyone, according to W24. The couple wanted to show people that if we are not more conscious about the way we treat waste, soon everywhere will just be one big landfill.

According to the groom, a chemical waste landfill on the outskirts of Ryazan appeared around 10 years ago and has continued to operate despite a court ordering the site’s closure in 2011.

In August, a fire even started at the site, proving that these toxic sites are posing a threat to nature and humans. As reported by The Moscow Times, there are almost 11,000 landfills and 40,000 garbage dumps in urban areas, protected forests and rural regions in Russia. The country’s landfills are in fact reportedly at risk of a “catastrophic overflow.”

In light of this, many view the couple’s decision as heroic and an important step towards a greener future.

Pictures: W24