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Issue date: 11/13/08 Section: Health & Lifestyles

Media Credit: Lauren Duguay Wade, a LC groundskeeper of 42 years, collects LC's trash each day.

The grounds department, dishwashing crew, trash collectors, housekeepers and all around maintenance crews represent some of the dirtiest jobs held on campus. From plumbing backed up toilets to picking up trash these jobs exemplify the dirt in dirty.

Curtis Layne, director of campus grounds, explains that there are many different dirty jobs on campus but depending on your views some may be dirtier than others.

"Trash collection especially in the summer time when it is hot and food tends to spoil the fastest; housekeeping, especially on weekends from too much partying, or just general sanitary clean up," Layne said.

Other jobs entail plumbing out clogged or overflowing toilets. These tasks are taken care of by employees such as Gary Miller, maintenance supervisor, who says he has to "repair sewage lines or unclog toilets in the dorms."

Layne thinks that one of the dirtiest jobs on campus is the trash removal.

"No one wants to live in trash much less handle it, especially when you do not know what is in the bags and some bust from time to time," Layne said.

Other problems arise if the trash is not picked up and disposed of properly on a regular basis.

"From a sanitary stand point as well, trash can attract wild animals, rodents and insects if not disposed of in a timely manner," Layne said.

Earl Wade, groundskeeper, has been collecting trash at LC for about 42 years. His day to day routine consists of picking up trash around campus and continuing on to make three trips to Burton Student Center throughout the day. He also collects recycling products and shreds paper products while also making routine trips to the landfill to properly dispose of the trash.

Wade spends much of his time working with smelly decomposing food and other types of trash. Standing at the back of Burton, Wade unloads multiple garbage bags into the back of the truck and explains how the truck works to compress the trash down and pull it up.

"When the trash is compressed it sometimes bursts open and sprays out. I've gotten soaked a couple times and had to go home and change," Wade said.

Layne knows the importance of workers such as Wade and the impact they have on this campus.

Continued...

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