Prince William County Solid Waste Division (SWD) garbage persons to be recognized and appreciated on June 17

Prince William County Solid Waste Division (SWD) garbage persons to be recognized and appreciated on June 17

Important role of garbage persons to be recognized and appreciated on June 17

05/12/14 / Health & Safety / Local Government /

“Just imagine what our communities would be like without dependable collection and processing of unwanted, discarded waste and recyclables.  Think 14th century Black Death/ Bubonic Plague and mid-19th century cholera epidemic,” says Deborah Campbell, spokesman for Prince William County’s solid waster division.

Avoiding that possibility is the point of “Waste and Recycling Workers Week” on June 17.

On Waste and Recycling Workers Week, Prince William County’s solid waster division plans to recognize the men and women in the solid waste management industry–particularly, trash collectors–for the life-saving service they provide on a daily basis and urges residents to do so too.

All trash haulers that stop at the county’s landfill facility on June 17 will receive a word of thanks and some special safety tips because of the tremendous risks these workers are exposed to on the job.

According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2014, these workers rank 6 out of 10 on the list of fatal job injuries.

In addition to collecting trash and moving it from one place to another,  employees of the solid waste industry are also pioneers in advancing technologies such as recycling, renewable and sustainable energy, and reduction of dependence on fossil fuels, according to a news release from Campbell.

Said Campbell,”Match that with the clear impact on city cleanliness and hygiene, and it seems the modern-day garbage man should be receiving a little more than our garbage every week.”

The news release suggests ways to show upport and appreciation for the people doing these dirty, dangerous jobs:

* Bake some cookies for the crew

* Share a wrapped sweet treat or healthy snack

* Offer a cold bottle of water

* Give him or her a tip.

* Say a personal “thank you”

* Leave a thank you note

* Call your trash collection provider and give a word of thanks for a job well done, it’s the same number you use for complaints.

* Meet your collectors at the curb and help them lift your load to show your awareness of their efforts.

* Follow the provided guidelines for size and weight limitations and types of materials that are discarded in the regular trash.

* Use more caution when putting harmful items in the trash such as glass, medical waste, hot ashes, or improper disposable hazardous liquids.

* Take some ownership for our garbage contributions. Consider ways you can reduce, reuse and recycle the things being thrown in the garbage from your own home or place of business.

• Give the landfill attendants a hearty thanks and “high five.”

To learn more about Waste and Recycling Workers Week, and how to show support, go to https://wasterecyclingworkersweek.org Celeb.ration ideas and photos may be sent to [email protected] for the County’s Facebook page.

Campbell provided the following data about Prince William County Solid Waste Division (SWD):

•  provides solid waste management, recycling, composting and waste resource education to over 400,000 residents.

•  employs more than 50 people and operates the only active Extraordinary Environmental Excellence (E4) rated landfill in Virginia, the highest level of certification awarded by Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Environmental Excellence Program (VEEP).

• In 2013, the SWD also earned the Governor’s Environmental Excellence Gold Medal Award for its Sustainability Program. The SWD is a part of the Prince William County Public Works Department, an accredited agency of the American Public Works Association.

 

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