While the COVID-19 pandemic brought much of the country and the world to a standstill, the waste and recycling industry carried on. Men and women in communities across the country and around the world continued their important work of collecting waste and recyclables. Their work has been and continues to be essential to protecting the health and safety of our neighbors and the environment.
For their hard work and commitment through all of this uncertainty, we extend our most sincere thanks!
Support for Sanitation Workers
SWANA has collaborated with Glad to provide support for sanitation workers throughout the United States and Canada. Together, they have created the Sanitation Workers Support Fund. This fund was established to provide financial assistant to the solid waste and recycling workers on the front-lines who have been impacted by COVID-19. Individuals qualify if they:
- Have tested positive for COVID-19, with a demonstrated COVID-19-related inability to work and/or medical bills
- Were laid off because of COVID-19 and continue to be unemployed
- If an immediate family member was a solid waste or recycling collection worker and passed away, whether directly, or in combination with other health conditions, by COVID-19
For more information or to apply for support, visit SWANA.org today.
Coronavirus Resources
SWANA has gathered resources to support solid waste workers, employers and customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. These resources include a guide for the public to help protect the health of the men and women in the solid waste industry, links to emergency orders and other news and pandemic-related information that impacts individuals and employers in the sanitation industry along with two recorded webinars about coronavirus and the waste industry.
SWANA Coronavirus Resources also include a link to the International Solid Waste Association’s recommendations for waste management during the COVID-19 pandemic. These recommendations are centered around three priorities:
- Ensure the continuity of the services
- Adjusting recycling services
- Ensure safe collection, disposal and treatment of healthcare waste
Join SWANA Today!
Now, more than ever, SWANA is committed to providing valuable support and resources to its members. If you are not a SWANA member yet, you can join now to gain access to all of these resources. Multiple membership options are available, including Public Sector Individual Membership, Private Sector Individual Membership, Small Business Individual Membership, Young Professional Membership and more.