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For his department, he feels more citizens
knowing what goes on the curb and what doesn't is a
needed improvement. The waste has to be compliant
in order for them to pick it up. "Our guys make a way
out of no way. The goal is to safely remove trash.
If you don't remove trash, you have a real problem,"
he added.
Operations Supervisor Chris Powell agrees.
This Ryland employee started out shadowing
collectors and drivers three years ago, but his
journey has now taken him to obtain his CDL
license and now, he's a manager. He says most see
sanitation work as just a job. But for him it's a career.
"There's a need for us. I wake up every morning to
support my family by getting here. You defi nitely
need the sanitation worker"
Not all citizens take sanitation workers for granted.
Cleopatra Simpson of Macon is a sanitation worker
advocate. She's grateful to have them as a taxpayer,
and reminds other Maconites of their impact.
Without them, public and environmental health is
not maintained. Because of them, recycled materials
are repurposed. She added that wildlife and pets
don't get sick, die, or spread disease when collected
garbage is unavailable to them.
Her ideas are consistent with what Jackson and
Winfrey identifi ed as environmental hazards in the
absence of weekly collections and removal of illegal
dump sites. "My experience with sanitation workers
has been one of respect and gratitude," Simpson
said. "They are on the frontline of community health
and cleanliness."
The Solid Waste team gathers
at the convenience center on
11th Street, in the old industrial
district near Downtown Macon.
