The History of Dumpsters

Dumpsters are something we rarely think about until we need one. Everyone uses dumpsters every day, even if we don’t know it. All of the waste we toss into garbage cans and recycling bins is likely to end up in a dumpster for storage until it can be taken to a landfill or recycling center. Plus, when you have a big project such as construction, renovation or a massive house cleaning before moving, chances are good that you’ll be shopping around to rent a dumpster of your own. Our modern lifestyle relies on them.

But where do dumpsters come from?

Once upon a time there was no such thing as a dumpster, and sanitation was much harder, especially in large cities. Trash receptacles were limited in size because a human being needed to be able to carry them. This meant they had to be collected frequently, or else dumped into heaps in the neighborhood until they could be shoveled into a collection vehicle. This was messy, inefficient and annoying.

The Dempster brothers decided to change that. George Roby Dempster and his brothers Thomas and John ran a construction business in Tennessee. They saw how inefficient waste removal from their construction sites was, and in 1935 designed and patented the first large, movable trash bin: the “Dumpster.” Thus, dumpster is actually a brand name of Dempster Brothers, Inc., just like “Kleenex” is a brand name of tissue.

From the beginning, the Dempsters envisioned their bins being mechanically lifted and emptied, but this wasn’t practical until the 1950s.

There have been many variations on the dumpster over the years. Once it was most common for trucks to use mechanical arms to lift up the dumpster and tip it over to literally “dump” its contents into the truck. This was loud and less efficient, so by the 1970s a front-loading style dumpster became more prevalent, which is still what we use today.

Dumpsters are owned by waste removal businesses. These businesses actually make their money by charging for the removal of garbage; the dumpsters simply make that process more efficient. For large customers like apartment buildings or hotels they will rent out their dumpsters with a long-term contract. Short-term rental is also available for customers such as construction contractors or individual homeowners.

Because someone has to pay to rent a dumpster, and may have to pay extra for additional emptying, it’s considered very rude to add your trash to someone’s dumpster without permission.

Dumpsters are easy to rent. Different sizes are available in so that you can find one to match any project you might have and stay within your budget. Typically, a dumpster will be dropped off wherever you need it and picked up on the day you specify.

If you live in the Virginia, Maryland, DC, or Baltimore areas, EnviroSolutions, Inc. has some of the best prices you’ll find on dumpster rental. Do you have a project coming up? Give us a call and let us help you get a no-hassle dumpster today.