Humans have been producing waste since prehistoric times. Human existence itself is not complete without generating waste. When we look around today, the world looks pretty organized. The big cities at least do not have trash lying here and there and have formal waste disposal methods. However, these organized processes have not come up in a day. It has taken centuries for these waste management policies to emerge. Different parts of the world have tackled the problem of waste management in their way.
Back in the stone age, when men lived in caves or as nomads, they had very few possessions or belongings. They mostly reused things and preserved essential items. Probably the trash they produced was way less than what humans produce today. The little waste that they had was either buried or burnt. These remains have helped archaeologists in their discoveries and brought to light the truths about ancient human life. However, with evolution, people and their lifestyles changed. As the human population started increasing and people moved to different places, the waste matter or junk they produced increased by an enormous amount. There was less land available to bury or burn the trash, and the garbage pile started building up on roads. It led to the spreading of many diseases, such as the Black Plague of the 1300s. The large number of deaths caused by the pandemic made people aware of the ill-effects of improper waste disposal and necessitated adopting sanitation norms and practices. It led to the introduction of the first waste disposal system in London. There were specially appointed garbagemen who were responsible for collecting trash in bins and disposing it outside the city limits. Although this provided some respite from waste accumulation, it was still not a formal method for waste disposal. The Industrial Revolution in the 1700s brought with it more challenges related to waste generation and management. It was not until the late 18th century that this issue saw some resolution. London became the world’s first city to have a waste management system. The municipal waste consisted mostly of coal ash, which was useful for brick making and improved the soil quality. Incinerators, known as destruction plants, were used to generate electricity by burning the trash. However, it was only after the mid 19th century that public legislation regarding sanitation gained relevance. The outbreak of cholera made it essential that the state passes laws to reinforce the need for proper waste disposal. The Nuisance Removal and Disease Prevention Act of 1846 proved instrumental in improving waste management practices in the UK.
The situation was quite similar in the United States. People were dumping garbage into rivers, waterways, byways without any second thoughts. The development of incinerators also didn’t help much in altering this habit of the US population. In the year 1757, Benjamin Franklin introduced a street cleaning service for the people. However, nothing could deter the piling up of garbage on streets and roadways. All the landfills were also full by the 1900s. It was not only a sanitation problem but was leading to many health hazards. Finally, it was in the year 1937 that the Supreme Court banned people from dumping garbage, and the Clean Air Act of the 1950s prohibited people from burning waste.
The yesteryear’s garbage trucks were open bodied and pulled by horses. With time, they became motorized, and finally, closed body trucks helped in garbage collection. It led to the odorless transportation of garbage. After the 1920s, the garbage trucks consisted of the hopper mechanism and hydraulic compactor.
Today, waste management has evolved a lot. The advent of technology has led to changes in everything associated with human civilization. Thus, along with waste management techniques, the type of waste and its constituents have also changed. Moreover, waste management is not only limited to sanitation today but has acquired a new meaning. Now, commercial cleanouts and local junk removal services in California are in demand. Junk Removal is a basic necessity of life, and companies all over the world are providing services for the same.
From waste collection/junk hauling to waste disposal, the junk removal industry has seen tremendous changes. The companies providing junk removal services have invested in the end-to-end process. A thorough analysis of all these phases will give us a clear picture of the industry’s growth and innovation.
Waste Recycling
Junk or waste recycling is the primary method of waste disposal for junk removal companies. With companies adopting the ‘Go Green’ initiative, they want to reduce the negative impacts of waste disposal as much as they can. The ancient practice of burning junk or dumping it in landfills has aggravated the environmental hazards. Thus, today waste recycling is the only resort left for waste disposal. It is a known fact that recycling not only conserves energy, but it also reduces the need for raw materials in the future and protects the environment.
Junk removal companies in California either outsource third-party recycling companies or carry out the task themselves. The concept of single-stream recycling has become quite popular, wherein the customers can dump all the trash in one container, and the recycling companies sort the waste. Also known by the name, commingled or single-sort recycling, the process allows customers to dump all sorts of waste matter (plastic, organic waste, glass, metal, paper) into the same curbside bin. The sorting process takes place after transporting all the waste matter to a Material Recovery Facility (MRF). There have been continuous advancements in this process, adding up to its benefits. As this process eliminates the hassle related to sorting waste, it has led to an increase in the amount of waste matter collected. Also, it reduces the truck hauling costs for garbage collection, drives up the recycling rates, and reduces the truck count and corresponding emissions.
In current times, e-waste recycling has become an indispensable part of waste recycling. Humans are always surrounded by electronic gadgets today. But the thought that never crosses our mind is the damage we are causing to our planet by using these electronic devices. While they might be making our lives easier, they have the exact opposite impact on the environment. From production to disposal, the electronic items devour up tonnes of energy. The improper disposal of these items (trashing it or dumping it in landfills) has led to degradation of the natural resources. Thus, junk removal companies today have adopted e-waste recycling techniques for a greener planet. They follow advanced mechanisms (Pyrolysis Techniques, waste separation, Air Classification Methods) to treat e-waste.
Technology aided Waste Collection and Disposal
Technology plays a big part in streamlining the process of waste collection and disposal. To drive productivity, companies have indulged in excessive use of technology. The trash collection containers have sensors that send alerts whenever it is full. The sorting process has also become much organized with the use of magnets, optical sorting devices, and advanced disk screens. They separate the recyclable material from the trash easily and make the whole process much more efficient.
The process of waste collection has also become eco-friendly with the use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) run trucks. The logistics division, responsible for trash pickup uses route planners to come up with an optimized route plan. The truck drivers use GPS tools to navigate freely and provide services on time. The in-vehicle systems ensure driver safety and provide information about vehicle efficiency. The company can also track its employees and trucks with the help of a tracking system.
Route Efficiency for Trash Pickup
The waste collection personnel has to travel to multiple locations for picking up waste. All the junk removal companies prioritize their customer’s time, and would never want to keep them waiting. Thus, an optimized route plan is crucial for companies to achieve their goal. Junk removal companies have invested in sophisticated IT systems and route optimization software. The waste collection trucks are all automated and contain robotic arms to pick up trash. With these trucks in use, the time required for waste collection, time between stops, and emissions have drastically reduced. They also ensure more safety for workers.
Historically, the waste collection companies have provided the point-to-point collection service. However, this mode of service is not only time taking, but it also adds to the operational costs of the company and produces higher emissions. Thus, the companies are coming up with time and energy-saving means of waste collection, with the help of optimized routes and pre-booked pickups.
Modernizing landfills
Heaps of garbage dumped on the road with a rotten smell emanating from them is a thing of the past. Today, the landfills are all modernized and function under state and federal supervision. Junk removal companies focus on the protection of public health and the environment. Geomembrane solar panel systems are present in many landfills, and they enable the production of clean and sustainable energy. Companies are also following the process of carbon sequestration, which prevents carbon from re-entering the atmosphere.
Technological advancements are responsible for improving the state of the landfills today. The process of landfill surveying has become much simpler with the use of drones to generate accurate and reliable 3D maps. Gas detection sensors are fitted in the landfills to detect the leakage of toxic gases like methane. However, landfill modernization is not an overnight process. It requires proper data, information, futuristic innovations, and adaptable technology.
The modernization of landfills is necessary not only from an environmental or sanitation point of view but also from an operations perspective. The sensors present in the landfills will provide more data about the interior condition of the landfills, aiding the decision-making process regarding gas leaks and compaction.
Safety
Safety is a big concern for people working in the department of waste collection and disposal. Toiling in the landfills, or handling various kinds of waste, at times toxic waste, requires adequate safety measures and precautions. All the junk removal companies are well aware of this, and they are doing their best to ensure their worker safety.
The companies provide comprehensive and rigorous training to all the employees before they join work. This training prepares them to handle different kinds of equipment. Companies have also invested a lot in technology to bring down the accident and fatality rates. Thermal imaging cameras and drones are in use to observe the landfills. It helps in quick detection of fires caused by chemical reactions or interaction of waste with live embers.
Customer Tools
Being a B2C service, the junk removal companies value their end customers and keep their requirements in mind while designing the service offerings. They respect the customer’s time and money. Hence, they provide prompt and hassle-free services. Also, companies try to keep their pricing mechanism transparent for better customer experience.
All companies have mobile apps that enable customers to schedule pickups, pay bills, and get customer notifications. The company’s website provides complete information about the junk removal process and helps the customer in their journey. Thus, investing in customer-facing technology helps junk hauling companies to come closer to their customers and enter into an ever-lasting relationship with them.
Advertising for Junk Removal Companies
Like all industries, the waste management industry also needs some form of advertising. As discussed before, junk removal is a necessity of life. Given the packed schedules of individuals today, the task of junk removal has metamorphosed into a large business. Junk removal companies have refined their business model, and the industry as a whole has evolved a lot. From commercial cleanouts to basement cleanouts in California, companies are providing all kinds of junk removal services.
Thus, with competition and consumerism comes the need for marketing. Digital marketing is the best form of marketing for these junk removal companies owing to the central place digital media has taken in people’s lives. Almost all companies have already started with digital marketing. They are using Social Media Marketing, PPC Advertising, Facebook Ads, Online Reviews to expand their customer outreach.
Thus, junk removal, one of the essential requirements in life, has shaped into a massive industry and is changing day by day. Its evolution has been commendable, and there is still a lot more to happen.
