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Everyone Else Gets the Credit
In the aftermath of hurricanes like Helene and Milton, society comes together in a beautiful display of camaraderie. Emergency responders save lives, volunteers deliver hot meals, and neighbors help neighbors rebuild. Meanwhile, the waste and recycling industry is quietly doing what it does best—clearing the wreckage of human existence and getting absolutely zero recognition for it.
First responders get parades. Waste and recycling professionals get garbage-scented thank-yous, if they’re lucky. But let’s be clear: these are the unsung heroes hauling away the tangled mess of trees, drywall, and the shattered remnants of optimism that natural disasters leave behind.
Waste and Recycling :The Real First Responders
Before power is restored or emergency vehicles can even reach affected areas, it’s the waste industry that clears the roads. Yes, they’re the ones removing the post-apocalyptic game of pick-up sticks that hurricanes leave in their wake, ensuring ambulances can actually reach the stranded cat lady two towns over.
Environmental Stewardship: It’s Not Just About Trash
But it’s not just debris—they’re also handling hazardous materials like asbestos, household chemicals, and the gallons of mystery fluids leaking from your flooded garage. While the rest of us are busy figuring out how to charge our phones without power, these folks are protecting our water supply and making sure the local ecosystem doesn’t mutate into the next Godzilla origin story.
The Long Haul Nobody Cheers For
Recovery isn’t a sprint—it’s a marathon of misery. Weeks turn into months, and who’s still there, tirelessly cleaning up the aftermath? Not your local news team or Instagram influencers. It’s the waste and recycling crews, slogging through your soggy couches and moldy drywall so you can eventually rebuild and pretend none of this ever happened.
Planning for the Next Disaster (Spoiler Alert: There Will Be One)
If you think these folks just wing it, think again. Waste and recycling companies partner with local governments to create disaster preparedness plans. Because, apparently, someone has to think about where your smashed patio furniture is going to go before the next storm turns your backyard into a waterpark for raccoons.
Let’s Give Credit Where Credit Is Due
So next time a hurricane hits and you’re marveling at how quickly your street is cleared, take a moment to thank the waste and recycling crews. Sure, they may not be hoisting a golden retriever off a rooftop or cutting power lines to save the day, but they’re the ones making it all possible.
In the words of nobody, but they should say it: “Behind every great recovery effort is a person in a neon vest shoveling your shattered shingles into a dumpster.”
Michael E. Hoffman is president and CEO of the National Waste and Recycling Association, and he’d really like you to appreciate the industry that quietly saves your neighborhood from looking like a disaster movie set.
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