The recent treatment of two waste collection workers for chemical burns due to the improper disposal of hydrochloric acid offer an opportunity for renewed focus on the need for safety in waste management. Two collection workers for Casella Waste Systems, were hospitalized on October 26 for chemical burns in Dayton, Maine, after a container filled with hydrochloric acid burst and caused a fume cloud. “Safety is the top priority for all of our people,” said John W. Casella, Chairman and CEO of Casella Waste Systems, Inc. “Every day, regardless of circumstances, our people are providing an essential service that ensures public and environmental health and safety. It is imperative that our customers and communities continue to play an active role in helping to ensure everyone’s safety. We believe these workers will make speedy and full recoveries, but this incident serves as a reminder that there are specific times and places for residents to dispose of hazardous waste.”
Specifically, waste collection employee ranks as the fifth most hazardous occupation in the United States, behind fishing and timber cutting, with about 44 deaths per 100,000 workers, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. Furthermore, collection workers are more than twice as likely to be injured on the job than other employees. “Waste collection and disposal is among the most dangerous jobs in the United States and Canada,” said David Biderman, CEO and Executive Director of SWANA. “It is critical that residents and industry professionals work together to make safety the number one priority to avoid incidents like this.”
Steps that SWANA recommends to help improve safety for residents and collection workers alike include:
- Residents should ensure proper disposal of waste, including not placing hazardous waste or chemicals at the curb for collection. Residents are urged to contact local municipal or waste management staff if they have questions.
- Residents should bag and tie all trash before placing it into their container and putting it out to the curb.
- Conversely, recyclables should be placed loose in the container, and only the materials accepted by residents’ local hauler or municipal sanitation department should be in that container. Do not place lithium ion batteries or devices containing these batteries at the curb, as they are a fire hazard for industry trucks, facilities, and personnel.
- Residents should Slow Down to Get Around when driving and approaching collection trucks
Kevin Roche, SWANA’s Northern New England Chapter Chair, added: “This incident is a truly unfortunate reminder that, as we often say, ‘there is no such thing as away.’ When we throw things away, there are real people who have to deal with the very real consequences of improper disposal. We all need to work together to prevent occurrences like this one.” Roche is the CEO of ecomaine in Portland, Maine.