This June, join Rumpke in taking a day to celebrate the men and women who keep our communities clean and green. Monday, June 17 marks National Garbage Man Day, a new holiday proposed to celebrate workers in the waste and recycling industry.

Rumpke currently employs 2,400 people, more than 1,000 of which serve as drivers of various types. Fifteen percent of Rumpke drivers have been with the company for more than 10 years and 7 percent have been with the company for more than 20 years. Recycling and residential drivers exert serious physical effort, lifting and dumping resident cans or bins at each stop. A recycling driver averages 500 stops a day while the average trash hauler makes between 400 and 750 stops. These drivers work an average of 55 hours each week all year round. Rain or shine, snow or sleet, these men and women work to make sure local communities stay trash-free.

How can you celebrate National Garbage Man Day? We have a few recommendations.

1. Offer a cold refreshment: National Garbage Man Day falls just four short days before the official beginning of summer, but the heat has already begun. Offer your local driver a glass of water or other cold refreshment to show how much you appreciate their hard work and help them cool off.

2. Leave a note: Print off a comment form to attach to your bin on or before June 17. A short note thanking your driver for their service is sure to show appreciation and make their route a little more enjoyable.

3. Contact us: Think your driver is doing a great job? Take a few minutes to visit rumpke.com and fill out a feedback form. Your input is appreciated not only by the company but also by your driver to let everyone know how happy you are with their service.

4. Say thanks: The simplest option, but often overlooked. Rumpke drivers provide a service many others may not be willing to do. A simple thank you is all it takes to show your driver you appreciate their service and recognize the work they put in to keeping the community clean.

This upcoming National Garbage Man Day, take a quick moment to appreciate all the effort that goes in to keeping your streets clean and garbage free and thank your local Rumpke driver.

About the author: Darby Fledderjohn is the corporate communications intern at Rumpke.