Human beings generate a lot of trash. Styles change, furniture breaks or wears out, so yesterday’s treasured belongings are always on their way to becoming tomorrow’s junk. It’s been estimated that the average American generates nearly five pounds of trash every day. Disposing of possessions you no longer want can become a hassle unless you have access to dumpster rental St Petersburg FL.
A Brief History of Junk Removal
In olden times, the junkman or ragman was a familiar sight in urban settings. In the 1800s, trash haulers generally used horses to pull the oversized carts into which they piled a household’s unwanted belongings. In the early days of the 20th century, such carts were replaced by motorized vehicles with enormous open containers into which haulers flung their trash. Not only was gathering trash in this manner backbreaking work, it was also terribly inefficient.
The first truck dumpster was the brainchild of a Tennessee construction worker called George Roby Dempster. In 1935, Dempster developed the country’s first garbage truck with a closed container. Dempster had made a close study of trash pickup, and he believed his invention might reduce the cost of the labor associated with garbage collection by as much as 75 percent. Dempster’s trucks became the precursors of today’s roll off dumpster trucks.
The Junk Removal Industry
The junk removal industry in the U.S. is valued at $10 billion a year. Though traditionally, junk removal was a solo proprietor industry, the 1990s saw a rise in franchise junk removal companies, and they dominate the industry today. The industry is expanding rapidly with a steady growth rate of approximately 2 percent per year.
What are some of the most common pieces of junk that people want removed?
• Mattresses: According to a recent ABC news report, approximately 20 million mattresses get discarded every year. Concerns about bed bugs and other types of infestations keep many of these mattresses from being recycled.
• Televisions and other electronic items: Americans discarded more than 300 million electronic items in 2005, and two-thirds of those electronics still worked. Electronics should be disposed of by certified e-waste recycling businesses.
• Refrigerators: The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that nine million refrigerators are thrown out every year.
Don't let trash disposal burden you. Make sure that your wastes are managed efficiently with the help of a dumpster rental.