On June 17, Global refuse Man Day honours the world’s refuse men and women. Garbage collectors tirelessly provide services to the globe each and every day, from collecting our trash to seeing it through the entire disposal process. Even a day’s delay in waste collection can result in inconveniences and the spread of disease. Thus, garbage collectors and other sanitation employees perform an invaluable service to society by maintaining its cleanliness and health on a daily basis. The day also sheds light on the dangers of the work, as garbage collection and disposal is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world due to exposure to odours, chemicals, and broken glass. All of these can have severe consequences.
The background of Global Garbage Man Day
Global Garbage Man Day was created by John Arwood in 2011. Arwood is an American industrialist and the chief executive officer of JDA, a company that specialises in waste management and demolition. Arwood was an avid recycler as a child, collecting bottles and general refuse with his father to reduce the environmental impact of waste. In 1997, Arwood recognised the business potential of the internet and thus established the website for his company. Slowly and methodically, his business expanded across the nation. But Arwood quickly realised that his garbage disposal personnel was undervalued by the majority of the community. Therefore, he founded the Global refuse Man Day in 2011, and since then, the refuse disposal community has been showered with appreciation and recognition. The Global refuse Man honours all refuse collectors, regardless of gender, as’man’ is an abbreviation for ‘human’.
Arwood then expanded the Global refuse Man Day into a Waste & Recycling Workers Week to encompass the entire community of refuse workers. Since its inception, the day and week have received numerous awards and proclamations from state mayors and prominent political figures in the United States. In addition to showing appreciation, the day seeks to raise awareness about the dangers of the occupation. Garbage collectors and disposers become ill due to their exposure to toxic odours and chemicals. Due to the unsanitary nature of their employment, they also run the risk of sustaining injuries from broken glass and other sharp objects, as well as contracting diseases. Many male and female refuse collectors are hospitalised as a result of work-related injuries that result in, at best, minor injuries and, at worst, severe disabilities or death.
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5 facts about sanitation that will astound you
Since the year 2000, approximately 5000 American cities have implemented the pay-as-you-throw system to reduce waste.
Due to the dearth of adequate sanitation systems, 4.5 billion people live in unsanitary conditions around the globe.
Every minute, a newborn infant dies due to unsanitary environments.
More than 900 million schoolchildren worldwide are susceptible to infection because they lack access to pure water for handwashing.
The second leading cause of death for children under the age of five is diarrhoea, an infectious disease induced by an unsanitary environment.
GLOBAL GARBAGE MAN DAY DATES
Year | Date | Day |
---|---|---|
2023 | June 17 | Saturday |
2024 | June 17 | Monday |
2025 | June 17 | Tuesday |
2026 | June 17 | Wednesday |
2027 | June 17 | Thursday |