NWRA chairman submits testimony before House Transportation Committee

National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) Chairman Ben Harvey submitted on-record written testimony  on behalf of the association before the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee’s Highways and Transit Subcommittee during its hearing on “Every Life Counts: Improving the Safety of our Nation’s Roadways.” Harvey called attention to the fact that the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) named waste and recycling collection as the fifth most dangerous occupation. In 2017, the waste and recycling category accounted for 33 fatalities—23 of which were transportation related.

Harvey urged Congress to use federal infrastructure legislation or surface transportation appropriations as a vehicle to enact incentives for states to adopt “Move Over” laws that include protections for waste and recycling collection workers. He stated, “This is an opportunity for Congress to make a real difference in improving safety with minimal effort and no additional cost.”

“Move Over laws carry an important message: Take your time and slow down around waste and recycling collection trucks,” NWRA President and CEO Darrell Smith says. “NWRA member companies have been diligent in providing advanced safety training for drivers and those who hop off the trucks to make collections. However, distracted drivers operating near a collection truck are a major hazard for waste collection workers.”

NWRA has been at the forefront of efforts to expand state “Move Over” laws to include waste and recycling vehicles.