“Do we have treats for the dog?” Scotch Line landfill attendant Brett Dean asks his colleagues.
He comes to a table by the shed, picks up a basket of Milk Bones, crosses to a vehicle, and hands one to the driver to give to her dog.
Across the dusty road, the driver of a pickup truck honks his horn and calls out, “have a good day, guys.”
Dean, and fellow attendants on this Monday morning, Greg Norris, Lulu Viaes, and Kelly Bowie are all smiles.
It’s waste and recycling workers week.
Viaes and Bowie are at the shed when The Highlander arrives, representing a growing number of women working at the landfill. It’s not just the workforce that is changing. The staff have gone out of their way to decorate the place. At the moment, it’s a summer theme, replete with a kiddie pool, floaties, toys, lawn chairs, and mannequins in snorkel masks.
“We had some women come in last week and they said to me ‘oh my God, this place is so nice. I used to get anxiety and panic attacks coming to the dump,” Viaes said with a grin.
She started working at the landfill after moving to Minden Hills a year ago. She comes from the investment industry.
“I semi-retired and came here to do something part-time, but I love the social aspect of it. I love meeting new people; I love talking to people; I love helping people. I love the job. It’s such a free job. No management on top of you. You are out here all day long, 10-12 hours a day … it’s just such an awesome place,” Viaes said.
She concedes it gets hot in summer. While they have a shed, there is no hydro, so no electricity for an air conditioner or fans. But they have an awning for shade.
Bowie was a cottager for 34 years, moving permanently to Minden Hills two years ago to retire. Like Viaes, it’s a seasonal gig. Both hope to continue part-time in winter when “it’s kind of lonely up here, so it’s nice to talk to people.”
When it comes to the decorations, Viaes said, “we figured if we have to live in it, we might as well make it pretty because we’re here for long days.”
The public
Asked how they are treated by the public, Viaes said “for the most part, 95 per cent are great.”
Bowie added customers know the routine, don’t give staff a hard time about looking into their garbage, “but, of course, you get the odd one.”
Both said a good day is sunny, not cloudy, rainy and muddy. They see eagles in winter, turkey vultures, bears in spring, and a falcon flies overhead.
Norris has been at the landfill three months. He enjoys the job and thinks working for municipal government is a good career move. He said some of the challenges are making sure people are recycling correctly, and some not receptive to feedback.
For him, a good day is when, “the sun is shining, everyone’s happy, we’re laughing between staff, getting along with my co-workers, having everything run smoothly, everything is going in the correct places, everything is well-managed.”
It was Dean’s first day on the job. He’s semi-retired and was looking for 20 hours a week of work. “This was perfect. I live here and I come to the dump. What better way to serve your community?”
Cosh said they have about 13 team members.
“They are really passionate and take a lot of pride in their work. They’re dedicated to their job and want to do a good job. We put a lot of focus on customer service and when we’re hiring and recruiting team members, that’s what we’re looking at. So, a lot of these guys are incredible…
“They want to make a difference. The recognition they’ve all received from the community is incredible, with the differences, what the site looks like, and how they interact with members of the public. I receive compliments all the time.”
