Trash collection, processing and disposal includes potentially dangerous activities that require proper safety training and well-maintained equipment. NSWMA has one of the most comprehensive safety programs for the entire industry. We work with the U.S. Department of Labor and other government agencies to make safety part of every company’s DNA. And we continue to advocate for new laws and regulations to help keep our industry’s employees safe. In recent years, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has found that these efforts have made a difference in decreasing the fatality rate for collectors of trash/recyclables. The public has a role to play in keeping garbage men safe…Please slow down when you see a garbage truck in your community.
Archive for the ‘Ask the Expert’ Category
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March
March
17
June
June
Yes, modern landfills allow us to dispose of trash in a safe manner. To ensure that our garbage doesn’t harm the public health or the environment, today’s modern, state-of-the-art landfills are technically sophisticated and highly regulated. These landfills are commonly referred to as “municipal solid waste landfills” to distinguish them from the open dumps of the past. Unlike old dumps, modern landfills now have sophisticated protective liners, leachate collection systems, groundwater monitoring, gas collection equipment, and environmental reporting requirements. Modern landfills are well-engineered facilities subject to strict federal and state regulations for location, design, operating conditions, monitoring, closure, post-closure care, clean-up (if necessary) and financial assurance. The federal regulations were mandated by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and are called the Subtitle D standards. Some states choose to impose additional requirements that exceed the federal requirements or contain additional features that ensure protection of human health and the environment.
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April
April
For recycling rates to increase, participation in every phase of the recycling loop (collection, sorting and processing, remanufacturing) must occur. Residents and businesses need to put all of their properly prepared recyclables out for collection. All of us need to buy products made with recycled content. Businesses need to manufacture more recycled-content products and become involved in local and state recycling organizations. Local governments need to improve the efficiency of collection programs, practice full cost accounting, and identify opportunities to increase recycling rates. EPA provides information on how to increase recycling rates.
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October
October
When landfills close, communities can reclaim them and convert them into a variety of productive uses. Former landfills in many communities have wild life habitats, natural wetlands, community facilities and recreational areas like golf courses and bike parks. Even where landfills have been closed and land reuse projects have been created, the landfill operator continues to collect the landfill gas that these sites continue to produce, allowing for continued landfill-gas-to-energy. Regardless of how a former site is used, the community still has environmental protection. The U.S. EPA has strict regulations for closing landfills, which includes the installation of a final cover that is impervious to water infiltration, the continuation environmental monitoring, state reporting for full compliance with permits, and a requirement that landfill owners maintain sufficient money for corrective actions.
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October
October
The rising cost of fuel and equipment affects our companies as it does all other businesses and families. Add to these rising expenses the cost of insurance, labor, health costs, operational and maintenance costs and costs to comply with new environmental regulations. While costs for trash collection have increased in some communities, residential trash collection, which includes disposal, is an essential service offered at a bargain price compared to rising prices most Americans pay for utilities and services, such as cellular telephones or cable television.
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October
October
Most matter in the world is subject to biological decay, and this natural process produces odor, especially with garbage with a high organic content (such as food) or with more water and air. Fortunately, the industry has pioneered ways to successfully manage odors at landfills, transfer stations, recycling facilities and in garbage trucks. And studies have shown that odor is rarely an offsite health hazard.
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October
October
No. Our owners and employees do not engage in or condone criminal behavior. Because stereotypes are hard to break, we worry that certain shows, like the Sopranos, demean the hundreds of thousands of honest, hard-working men and women, from the truck drivers and helpers on collection routes, mechanics, as well as senior management, who each day provide a vital service in protecting public health and our shared environment. In fact, there never have been more than a limited number of instances when organized crime has been involved in solid waste management. Through vigorous law enforcement, states such as New Jersey, Connecticut and New York have successfully prosecuted law breakers to root out any involvement of organized crime in the solid waste industry in their states. Our industry fully supports and cooperates with these measures, if for no other reason than to help end these sorts of stereotypes. In New Jersey, for example, any new employee of a garbage company, from a helper on the back of the truck to a new CEO, must be fingerprinted and clear a criminal background check before being hired.