The bandwagon supporting Waste and Recycling Workers Week is growing.
The bandwagon supporting Waste and Recycling Workers Week is growing.
The Solid Waste Association of North America, the governor of Florida and cities have gotten behind the day, which is the brainchild of John D. Arwood, president of Arwood Waste Inc. Waste and Recycling Workers Week is set for June 17.
“At SWANA, we want to embrace every opportunity to advance public awareness about the important work performed by solid waste professionals in our communities week after week,” said John Skinner, the group’s executive director and CEO, in a statement. “Through this campaign, everyone can do something small to make a big impact on someone’s day by acknowledging the work they do.”
Florida Gov. Rick Scott will soon sign a proclamation encouraging citizens to observe the day and honor “employees that provide a very essential service handling the solid and liquid waste of our society [that] don’t receive the proper recognition,” according to Arwood.
And the city of Clearwater, Fla., last week joined a growing list of municipalities the will celebrate the day.
“The men and women in the solid waste industry are truly our unsung heroes, as they toil anonymously to safely and efficiently keep our communities clean and healthy for all of us,” stated Earl Gloster, Clearwater’s director of Solid Waste and General Services, said in a statement. “Many of us never think twice about our garbage once we throw it away, but as you can imagine, the world would be a disgusting place without the garbage man. Garbage can overrun cities in a matter of days. Fortunately today we don’t have to live in our waste, thanks to our garbage men and women.”
“It’s just unbelievable to me how many government officials are taking a stand in honoring this day,” Arwood told Waste & Recycling News in an email. “I have been overwhelmed with an array of different people contacting me.”
Arwood is encouraging residents and business owners to simply take the time to appreciate workers in the industry on June 17, telling Waste & Recycling News a card or simply thanking collection workers for their hard work.
“Garbage men are looked down upon,” he said. “You usually see a garbage man or garbage truck and you’re like, ‘Get out of the road.’ You’re aggravated with them. They’re there every week. They’re doing a service for the community. To me, they should be recognized as much as a policeman, a fireman or any other public servant that’s exposed out there in the streets.”