Did you know the waste management industry is one of the oldest industries in the world? Archeologists have discovered landfills that are thousands of years old! In 500 B.C, the city of Athens in Greece had a very rudimentary type of garbage service. Residents were allowed to put out garbage for collection and disposal, but they had to bring it one mile outside of the city walls.

Waste management has always been a critical piece of the puzzle in protecting the environment and our health. Unlike garbage companies of ancient times, where the city employed men to collect the garbage in carts and bury it, modern garbage service generally includes waste collection, transport, treatment, and proper disposal of waste materials.

As the general public has grown more socially and environmentally conscious, many waste management services have evolved to include recycling. These days, it’s expected that a garbage service offers commercial and residential waste disposal and recycling options.

Who knew waste management and garbage was such an interesting topic? Here ere are 25 facts that might make you think twice about your garbage.

  1. Aluminum cans are the number one most recycled item in the U.S.
  2. PET plastic is a form of polyester. PET stands for polyethylene terephthalate.
  3. Garbage trucks were originally called bin wagons and dustbin lorries.
  4. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), grass clippings and various yard waste makes up the second-largest portion of landfill waste generated in the U.S.
  5. On average, each person produces approximately 4.5 pounds of waste per day.
  6. In 1959, Coors created the first aluminum can.
  7. Roughly 2,500,000 plastic bottles are used every hour in the U.S.
  8. In 500 B.C., Athens started one of the first garbage service programs.
  9. Since 2010, the recycling of paper has increased by almost 90%
  10. One ton of recycled plastic saves around 685 gallons of oil.
  11. In 1900, “piggeries” began popping up across the U.S. A piggery was basically a large farm that housed thousands of pigs that would eat raw garbage. This was a unique type of garbage service that was effective — until the pigs died from food-borne illness.
  12. In 1965, the first federal waste management laws were introduced in the U.S.
  13. Bricks, fiberglass insulation, and bottles can be made from recycled glass.
  14. Between 1984 and 1988, 30% of all U.S. landfills were closed.
  15. Glass is originally created from sand.
  16. Each year, on average, 1,500 pounds of waste per person goes into a landfill.
  17. If you tied together all the ribbon thrown away in an average year, you could tie it around the Earth.
  18. In 1979, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned open dumping.
  19. Waste management can include over 20 different industries.
  20. In the U.S., over 67 tons of paper products are used each year.
  21. U.S. recycling levels are currently at 21.4%. When those levels reach 75%, it will equal taking approximately 55 million cars off the road for an entire year.
  22. A recycled plastic bottle saves enough energy to power a light-bulb for four hours.
  23. Over one-third of all paper made is created from recycled fiber.
  24. Recycling one ton of aluminum cans conserves 21 barrels of oil.
  25. The predecessor of the modern garbage truck was invented in 1897 — a steam motor tip-car.

From the very first garbage service in Ancient Greece to the modern waste management services that often incorporate over 20 different industries, it’s amazing to think just how far the industry as a whole has come. What do you think it will look like in the next century? For more information on securing garbage services for your business in the here and now, please contact us today.