Dealing with garbage isn’t just smelly business it’s BIG business Not too long ago everyone’s garbage was delivered to a dump and left to stink up the place Today’s garbage is sorted recycled reused and compacted and in some cases is sold for profit Landfills use science and technology to create more environmentally responsible solutions for how to get rid of our waste And the people who deal with our trash work hard so we don’t have to think too much about our garbage once it’s picked up from our homes and businesses What are some of the interesting jobs in the waste management industry Let’s find out by following the garbage created by Jeremiah Oliver Baumgartner His parents and friends like to call him by his initials J O B Job isn’t a real kid but the people who work with his garbage represent real professionals found at landfills everywhere By the end of this book you’ll be glad to know that the many people who work at the landfill are on the job Who knows You may even decide that working with garbage is pretty amazing 4 Fun Fact The waste industry employs nearly 400,000 people
Chapter 1 Job hits the Curb That’s so cool I wonder if that attachment is available for Mom’s minivan 5
Job your room looks like a landfill Mom said Don’t even think about going outside with your friends until your room is clean For some kids that might take 45 minutes or less But not Job Oh man I’ll be an old man before I get this mess cleaned up When Job finally finished he had a collection of junk What was he supposed to do with a bunch of sticks left over from an art project And the almost-empty can of paint And all of his social studies handouts from last year Plus the soda can that had spilled out all over the floor It’s not that bad right kitty Meow 6
Most homes and businesses place their garbage in cans or bins for pickup Drivers are responsible for picking up trash and delivering it to a transfer station or landfill or incinerator A driver may operate a sanitation truck for home pickup a larger front loader for business pickup or a large roll-off truck to pick up dumpsters This physically-demanding job requires attention to detail and safe driving skills The sanitation helper works alongside the driver hauling trash cans to the sanitation truck emptying the containers and returning them to the curb This is also a physically demanding job that requires safe lifting practices in order to not get hurt Curbside pickup keeps communities conveniently trash-free The dispatcher works in an office and uses a radio system to stay in contact with all the sanitation drivers out on the road The dispatcher schedules pickup service gives drivers their pick-up routes for the day and makes sure garbage is picked up in a timely fashion The dispatcher also schedules special pickup service for oversized items and hazardous materials Teamwork and big trucks get the job done 7
