The recent treatment of two waste collection workers for chemical burns due to the improper disposal of hydrochloric acid offer an opportunity for renewed focus on the need for safety in waste management, said a news release from ecomaine and theSolid Waste Association of North America, Northern New England Chapter.

The Mid-Coast Solid Waste Corp., which is the municipally-owned transfer station of Camden, Hope, Lincolnville and Rockport, contracts with ecomaine to transport and process solid waste in Portland.

Two collection workers for Casella Waste Systems,were hospitalized on October 26 for chemical burns in Dayton,after a container filled with hydrochloric acid burst and caused a fume cloud, the release said.

SWANA recommends that:

Safety is the top priority for all of our people, said John W. Casella, Chairman and CEO of Casella Waste Systems, Inc. Every day, regardless of circumstances, our people are providing an essential service that ensures public and environmental health and safety. It is imperative that our customers and communities continue to play an active role in helping to ensure everyones safety. We believe these workers will make speedy and full recoveries, but this incident serves as a reminder that there are specific times and places for residents to dispose of hazardous waste.

Specifically, waste collection employee ranks as the fifth most hazardous occupation in the United States, behind fishing and timber cutting, with about 44 deaths per 100,000 workers, according to the U.S. Department of Labors Bureau of Labor Statistics. Furthermore, collection workers are more than twice as likely to be injured on the job than other employees.

Waste collection and disposal is among the most dangerous jobs in the United States and Canada, said David Biderman, CEO and Executive Director of SWANA. It is critical that residents and industry professionals work together to make safety the number one priority to avoid incidents like this.

Kevin Roche, SWANAs Northern New England Chapter Chair, added: This incident is a truly unfortunate reminder that, as we often say, there is no such thing as away. When we throw things away, there are real people who have to deal with the very real consequences of improper disposal. We all need to work together to prevent occurrences like this one. Roche is the CEO of ecomaine in Portland, Maine.

About the Solid Waste Association of North America:

The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) is an organization of more than 10,000 public and private sector professionals committed to advancing from solid waste management to resource management through their shared emphasis on education, advocacy and research. For more than 50 years, SWANA has been the leading association in the solid waste management field. SWANA serves industry professionals through technical conferences, certifications, publications and a large offering of technical training courses.

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In the wake of Southern Maine chemical burns, ecomaine issues advisory - PenBayPilot.com