Holiday Heroes: Trash Collection in the City of Richmond

Star Rowland, Ramon Singletary, and Christopher Brown will tell you immediately that their jobs are primarily about communication. "Trust plays a huge factor," Chris explains, and Star agrees. "You make a bond with the folks on the truck."

As a trash collection driver, Star's role is to get collectors like Ramon and Chris to the next site safely and to be an extra set of eyes while they load up the truck.

A day in Trash Collection

A workday starts earliest for drivers, especially during cold weather. They check the vehicle and warm it up so that everything is ready to go for the collectors. Then they're off, running a different route each day of the week. They can spend 5 or 6 hours on the truck early in the morning before they bring all the trash back to the transfer station. There, everything gets loaded onto a tractor trailer and goes to the landfill.

There's even more to load up during the holidays. The team notices more trash, and more food waste in particular means more animals. "When I see collectors start rushing, I know there's an animal in the can," Star says. Ramon and Chris have encountered raccoons, squirrels, rats, and even a snake or two on their routes!

Animals are just one of the hazards a Solid Waste team encounters on the job. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists trash collection as one of the most dangerous jobs in the country.

"The only way trash collection works is if everybody is watching everybody," Ramon says. "Our lives are on the line every day."

Solid Waste teams are trained and certified in safety strategies, but keeping our trash collectors safe should be a community-wide effort. Here are some simple things you can do to help collection teams gather your trash quickly and safely.

• Drive carefully around collection vehicles. Drivers are working hard to keep their collectors safe, and their lines of sight are limited. Support the safety of our workforce by slowing down and keeping eyes open for collectors when you see a truck.
• Leave out the dangerous stuff. Most cans have a sticker listing items that can't be thrown away, like gas cans, propane tanks, and hazardous chemicals. Some of these items can damage a truck or cause explosions when they're compacted, and collectors have had chemicals like bleach spray out onto their uniforms. Check out disposal options for those items through the East Richmond Road Convenience Center.
• Bag your trash. The team says that when loose trash goes into a can, wind can send it flying. It's also more likely that an animal will get into the refuse. Tie your bags closed before dropping them into your can. "We're trash collectors, but we shouldn't have to clean up after folks," Star says.
• Place the can at the edge of your property on collection day. It can be unsafe for collectors to walk through a property to get a can, and it slows down an already tight schedule. Check your collection day and make sure cans are ready to go that morning. If you have mobility challenges that make moving your can difficult, you can review the City's Back Door Service policy to see if you're eligible.
• Reduce the weight of each can. When lids are regularly open and overflowing, water can get in and weigh down trash. Same with bulk items; the truck tippers can snap off if they lift a can that's too heavy. Order another can by calling 311, and make sure your larger items go to bulk collection instead.
• Read your notes. When collectors notice an issue with your can, they'll often leave a green or orange ticket on top of the can. If you spot a colorful card, take the time to read it. Most often, the collectors are trying to help someone replace a broken can, which is quick and free. The team says it's rewarding when they come back the following week and see a new can. It means someone read their message and followed the guidance!

A few small habit changes from residents-and a little more awareness of the people who take on this vital role-can make a big positive impact on a collection team's workday. And a little more awareness of the people who take on this vital role helps us all keep our neighborhoods clean. "You gotta keep trash on schedule," says Ramon. "It keeps society running."

What's the best part of trash collection work? 

The kids! The students on Chris's route like to hear the horn honked each week, and Ramon shouts out the little girl on his route who's named their truck Wilbur.