Garbage collectors

Though much of the act of garbage collection has been automated in the City of Spokane, a handful of crews still collect waste the old-fashioned way - by hand. A record-setting year of waste collection has workers in the city’s Solid Waste department working to identify the worst alleys for improvements next year, slated to cost about a half million dollars.

Section:Gallery

Sat., Jan. 27, 2018

Alex Mizner rides the rear step of a rear-loading garbage truck, Friday, Jan. 26, 2018, between alleys in North Spokane. Mizner is one of the garbage collectors who still wrestle bins to the truck by hand in places where mechanized trucks cant work, in narrow alleys around Spokane.

Jesse Tinsley The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo
Alex Mizner pulls a trash bin over to a rear-loading garbage truck, Friday, Jan. 26, 2018, in an alley in North Spokane. Mizner is one of the garbage collectors who still wrestle bins to the truck in places where mechanized trucks cant work, in narrow alleys around Spokane.

Jesse Tinsley The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo
Mike Beeler, left, and Alex Mizner empty trash bins into a rear-loading garbage truck, Friday, Jan. 26, 2018, in an alley in North Spokane. Beeler and Mizner are some of the garbage collectors who still wrestle bins to the truck in places where mechanized trucks cant work, in narrow alleys around Spokane.

Jesse Tinsley The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo
Alex Mizner, left, directs driver Mike Beeler to back their rear-loading garbage truck into a deep alleyway, Friday, Jan. 26, 2018, in North Spokane. Mizner and Beeler are some of the garbage collectors who still wrestle bins to the truck by hand in places where mechanized trucks cant work, in narrow alleys around Spokane.,

Jesse Tinsley The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo
Alex Mizner rides the rear step of a rear-loading garbage truck, Friday, Jan. 26, 2018, in an alley in North Spokane. Mizner is one of the garbage collectors who still wrestle bins to the truck by hand in places where mechanized trucks cant work, in narrow alleys around Spokane.,

Jesse Tinsley The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo
Alex Mizner empties a bin into a rear-loading garbage truck, Friday, Jan. 26, 2018, in an alley in North Spokane. Mizner is one of the garbage collectors who still wrestle bins to the truck in places where mechanized trucks cant work, in narrow alleys around Spokane. ,

Jesse Tinsley The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo
Alex Mizner rides the rear step of a rear-loading garbage truck, Friday, Jan. 26, 2018, in an alley in North Spokane. Mizner is one of the garbage collectors who still wrestle bins to the truck by hand in places where mechanized trucks cant work, in narrow alleys around Spokane.

Jesse Tinsley The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo
Alex Mizner pushes a trash bin over to a rear-loading garbage truck, Friday, Jan. 26, 2018, in an alley in North Spokane. Mizner is one of the garbage collectors who still wrestle bins to the truck in places where mechanized trucks cant work, in narrow alleys around Spokane.

Jesse Tinsley The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo