Treat Sanitation Workers with the Respect They Deserve-Not Like the Garbage They Collect

Let me speak the truth, raw and unapologetically.

Sanitation workers are some of the most disrespected and undervalued members of society, yet without them, our communities would be drowning in filth, disease, and chaos. 

These are the very individuals who rise before dawn, face all weather conditions, and handle the disgusting waste that most of us wouldn’t dare to touch, and they do it daily.

Just because they handle garbage, doesn’t mean they should be treated like it, and they workplaces should look unkept, unsanitized, a hazzard etc, like the garbage they collect.

Sanitation workers are not invisible, they are not beneath anyone, they are not the garbage they collect, they are hard-working, essential human beings doing one of the nastiest and riskiest jobs imaginable. 

And the way they are often treated by the system – and sometimes by the public, is nothing short of disgraceful.

They Deserve Safety, Not Sacrifice

Every bag of garbage they collect is a ticking health time bomb, it can contain broken glass, toxic chemicals, sharp objects, rotten food, used diapers, medical waste, and God knows what else. 

They inhale fumes, lift heavy bins, dodge reckless drivers, and work long hours in unsanitary conditions. 

That’s not just work, that’s a daily health hazard. So why is it that in so many places:

Safety gear is outdated, missing, or ignored?

Health insurance is an afterthought, or non-existent?

No proper medical checks or hazard pay are provided?

This is not just unfair, it’s inhumane.

Where Are the Benefits and Protections?

If any job demands comprehensive health insurance, protective gear, proper training, and risk allowances, it’s sanitation work.

 These workers should have access to regular health screenings, mental health support, and safety training. 

Their uniforms and tools should be up to standard. Gloves, masks, boots, and protective suits shouldn’t be luxuries, they should be the bare minimum.

Let’s discuss incentives and benefits, how is it that a worker can risk their life every day for the public good and still struggle to pay bills, receive no bonuses, and retire with little or nothing? 

Why are sanitation workers doing the hard and heavy dirty work, while others continue to benefit with high salaries while doing nothing, and the sanitation workers that supposed to be getting high salaries are being overlooked.

Where are the performance bonuses, hazard pay, or family care packages? 

Why is there no proper recognition or reward for the crucial role they play?

It’s Time to Shift the Narrative

Society needs a serious wake-up call. Sanitation workers are not expendable. 

They are the backbone of public health. Without them, streets would overflow with filth, diseases would spread, and the very foundation of urban life would collapse, you can’t run a functioning city, town, or community without them.

Yet, while they keep our environments clean and safe, they are often overlooked, underpaid, overworked, and disrespected, this is unacceptable.

Respect is Non-Negotiable

We must start treating sanitation workers as the essential workers they are:

With respect, in how we talk to them, about them, and treat them.

With dignity, ensuring their working conditions are clean, safe, and fair.

With compensation, fair wages, proper benefits, and regular raises.

With protection, both physical (equipment) and legal (worker rights).

With recognition, honoring their contribution to public well-being.

They are not “just garbage collectors” they are warriors in uniforms, fighting a dirty battle that keeps the streets, in societies of nations in the world clean.