Fun Facts About Trash

Just like everything in life, the trash industry has history as well. All over the world, the trash industry has continuously made advancements towards making a better way to dispose of chemical waste. Just for fun, we researched some fun facts about why dumpsters and portable toilets are the way they are today.

Humans have always been known to be the most destructive creatures towards the environment. Especially within the past couple hundred years, the trash we produce does not quickly dissolve back into the earth. Most of it is made of harsh plastics, metals, or gases that have been tampered with. But what was the trash industry like before modern waste removal or sanitation’s? Was it worse, or better? Often, we hear that only recent human destruction of the planet has been a problem. But that does not seem to be true. The destruction has been going on for more than just the past couple of hundred years. Although the chemicals are getting increasingly worse, getting rid of everyday trash has always been a huge problem even during B.C. time period.

In about 500 B.C. in Athens Greece, the government announced laws to keep trash buried at least a mile away from the city because of how smelly and dirty it was.

In the 1400’s in Paris France, the piles of trash were piled in the city’s so high that it caused problems with the cities defense system.

Only until 1842 in England was it announced that diseases and health issues were linked to the garbage in the cities. This is the first time recorded, that studies to enhance more sanitary solutions to waste had started.

At the turn of the 1900 century, “piggeries” were a huge business. They opened pig farms to feed the pigs garbage to eliminate waste. The pigs became sick because the industries allowed the pigs to eat un-cooked trash. Soon, a law passed stating that the garbage had to be cooked to sanitize germs. Pretty gross considering these are the same pigs that were served to people to eat!

The idea of the dumpster that we know today has only been around since the 1930’s. It was invented and patented by the Dumpster Brothers. Before the roll off dumpster design, and proper dumpster tucks, people would use random buckets to hold their trash. Prior to the turn of the century, cities hired horse and buggies to come pick up the trash and bury it on the outside of city limits.

Most of us refer dumpsters as, “a Dumpster.” But most of us don’t know that that’s not the correct term! The word dumpster is a brand name, the correct term is “front loader container.”

There are several types of garbage trucks, some commonly used, others used for special trash:

• Rear Loaders are the most common and mostly used for residential waste removal.
• Front Loaders are mostly used for removing and emptying dumpsters for larger companies.
• Side Loaders are used for most recycling trucks and can offer different compartments in the truck.
• Suction Trucks are used to suck waste out of specific waste containers.

Portable Toilets

Portable toilets have always been around. Even in ancient times, toilets have always been around. In 6^th century B.C., toilets were called chamber pots. They were made of ceramic pottery, metal, or stone. Today, some countries still have chamber pots such as; the Philippines, China, and Korea.

When discovering the tomb of the Egyptian King Kha, archaeologists discovered Kha’s toilet. It was carved out of wood and lead to a hole in the ground for his un-unmentionables.

The first modern portable toilets were designed in the 1940’s for WWII in ship yards and bases.  These were heavy duty made of fiberglass, plastic, and polyurethane.

Works Cited:

https://jalopnik.com/the-fascinating-history-of-the-garbage-truck-and-the-kn-5955401

https://itstillruns.com/parts-garbage-truck-5201817.htm

https://www.hometowndumpsterrental.com/blog/early-20th-century-history-of-the-garbage-truck