6 Secrets You Didn’t Know About Garbage Collectors

Everyone always wonders what being a garbage collector is like. Most of us who are grossed out by garbage probably couldn’t stomach this job, but there’s a lot of people out there who are fit for it!

Whether you’ve wondered if it actually makes a decent living or how easy/not easy the job itself is, we have all the inside secrets for you. Here are the top secrets you wouldn’t know about garbage collectors!

1. They make a good living

The average annual salary for garbage collectors estimates a total of $38,000 per year. In larger cities, garbage collectors can estimate up to $51,500 a year.

2. The work isn’t as easy as you’d think

Your traditional rear-loading truck lift will average about 13,000 lbs per day. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that garbage collecting is the fifth most dangerous job in America.

3. People can help garbage collectors stay safe while doing their jobs

We can help keep our garbage collectors safe and without bloody hands by wrapping our broken glass shards in some newspaper first. Additionally, it’s best not to dispose of chemicals improperly due to garbage trucks actually going up in flames.

4. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure

Usually, when someone is moving out of a nicer neighborhood and trashing things they don’t need, garbage collectors will be mindful of what they’re dumping. You never know what valuable items you might find, and they take full advantage of that.

5. They judge people by the organization of their trash can

Typically, if your trash can is neat and organized, garbage collectors will assume you’re a neat and organized person. However, if your trash cans are messy and overflowing with debris… well, you do the math.

6. Think about where you park on trash pick-up day

This is probably the biggest pet-peeve of all garbage collectors. If you park right in front of your trash bins, they have to get out and move your bin and toss it themselves instead of using the automated arm. So, be mindful of where you park on pick-up day! It makes their lives so much easier.

Be sure to SHARE this article if you were surprised by any of these garbage collector secrets!