The city of Thomasville will join other cities across the country in recognizing Waste & Recycling Workers Week, which will be celebrated June 13-18. This weeklong recognition honors individuals in the solid waste industry for their hard work and dedication in keeping communities safe and healthy. Officials with the Solid Waste Association of North America Georgia Chapter say they hope this week will bring awareness to protect solid waste workers and elevate the importance of their tasks for Georgia residents.
“Solid waste workers may not be able to bend steel with their bare hands or leap tall buildings in a single bound, but they collect trash, recycling, and compostables in all types of weather to protect our health and safety,” Suki Janssen, SWANA Georgia’s chapter president, said. Janssen said that solid waste workers are employed in the sixth most dangerous profession in the United States.
Whether working at the landfill, picking up yard debris, or driving a truck to pick up trash each week, solid waste workers are on the front lines every day to protect our health and sustain our environment from the problems of unmanaged waste. They even perform efficiently and effectively in the hot Georgia weather this time of year.