In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, many efforts have been made to appreciate healthcare workers such as nurses, doctors, and EMTs. Essential workers who keep the world spinning while the rest of us are in quarantine have also been given their laurels by the community. Among those essential workers are waste management professionals, especially trash and recycling workers. While you might not think much about your trash and recycling once it’s out to the curb, your trash and recycling workers do an important work every week that should be appreciated. Here are a few reasons why:
A Messy Job
You’ve likely heard “it’s a dirty job, but someone’s got to do it.” The truth is, trash and recycling professionals take every precaution to be as clean as possible, but the smell can certainly make the job something of an acquired taste. Collecting the trash for the whole community, as well as the recycling, might not be your idea of a dream job, but it’s an important one. Especially in the midst of COVID-19, trash and recycling workers risk infection to do this essential work.
First Responders
We often don’t think of trash and recycling workers as first responders, and in most cases, they aren’t. But in the midst of emergencies such as hurricanes and tornadoes, it’s often trash and recycling workers who first reach the scene. Your local trash and recycling company might work to clear the streets of debris in order to make it safe for police and firefighters to make their way through. When disaster strikes, it’s often your trash and recycling companies who need to be thanked as much as anyone else.
In Any Weather
Try to think of the last time your trash and recycling company failed to pick up your trash or recycling that wasn’t a national holiday. Even when the rain is pouring down, even in intense heat or the coldest days of winter, your trash and recycling will still be picked up. Waste management workers commit to doing their jobs no matter the weather, so you can go about your life and your usual waste management practices.
Easier Recycling
It’s not just the workers who pick up your trash and recycling every week. It’s also those who work at the recycling sorting centers. In recent years, recycling has become more accessible and convenient through single stream recycling. Single stream recycling enables recycling companies to pick up plastics #1-7 as well as several other materials. Recycling companies can pick them up all together and sort them at the facility.
Show appreciation by thanking your trash and recycling workers, as well as using good trash disposal practices such as making sure that everything is in a bound bag, rather than loose, and sharp needles and other objects are bagged and labeled as such. Contact us today to sign up for our weekly trash pickup with complimentary recycling.
