Why It’s So Important to Pick Up Your Trash

Waste Management

Managing waste products is a concern on any site. Waste products can cause significant pollution if they escape into a water body. Any receptacles you use need to protect waste from both water and wind to prevent them from escaping. This is often done by covering the containers at the end of the workday, prior to rain, and during high winds.

You need to have a sufficient number of properly sized containers to handle waste on site. You need to contain all construction waste and all blowable trash. If a container is close to overflowing, clean it out. If they overflow, clean up the waste immediately.

Sanitary waste units have their own, special considerations:

• Located away from storm drains
• Anchored so they won’t tip over
• In a safe location where they won’t be knocked over
• Either on a pervious surface or placed in secondary containment if no pervious surface is available
• Six feet back from impervious surfaces (if possible)

Trash and other waste can be contained on site with a few simple methods. By doing so, you help protect our water bodies from debris, toxins, and nutrients.

Learn more about stormwater management here.