We see dumpsters everywhere and likely walk by them daily and don’t even think twice about their origin. Have you ever wondered, “Where did dumpsters come from?” We have provided a brief history lesson on the big orange things that we love, dumpsters.
What is a Dumpster?
A dumpster is a type of movable waste container designed to be brought and taken away by a specific vehicle. The word is a generic trademark of “Dumpster”, an American brand name for a specific design. Dumpsters are used for residential, commercial, and construction waste and come in various sizes.
Whether you are remodeling your kitchen, cleaning out your attic, disposing of yard waste, moving and getting rid of junk, or roofing or doing concrete work, a dumpster may be a good solution for you to use to discard of all debris safely and effectively.
Who Invented the Dumpster?
To understand where dumpsters come from, you need to know about George Dempster, the man who first commercialized the word “dumpster”. George Dempster and the Dempster-Dumpster system realized the need to store solid waste, particularly from construction sites. In 1935, the Dempster-Dumpster became the first large, portable dumpster bin and the Dempster brothers patented the dumpster. Dumpsters reduced the amount of labor necessary to move debris by 75 percent.
The Dempster Brothers played the main role in the invention of the dumpsters and are credited with being where dumpsters come from. Three brothers; George, John, and Thomas, formed the Dempster Brothers Construction Company. Their business focused on dam, railroad, and highway construction.
These types of jobs produced a lot wasted and George Dempster wanted to solve the issue of storing waste at the job sites. In 1935, he introduced his solution: an oversized portable garbage receptacle. This was the first of its kind, and as he continued perfecting his design, he eventually created a version that could sit on the back of a truck. By using an attached hoist and lift system, they could take the dumpster to a larger garbage vehicle or location and dispose of the contents.
The word “dumpster” has had at least three trademarks associated with it by Dempster brothers, but today it is often used as a genericized trademark. All three trademarks have since either been expired or cancelled.
Types of Dumpsters
Over time, new technology led to more sophisticated dumpsters, including what we know of as the dumpster today. Eventually, other companies got in on the dumpster game and created their own piece of dumpster history. Dumpster models, like the roll-off dumpster were invented and adopted. These designs were better suited to manage residential and construction debris due to their size and build.
George Dempster can also be credited as being one of the roll-off dumpster inventors.
Dumpster Usage Grows
As dumpsters grew in popularity, large organizations such as the U.S. Navy also began to use them. The dumpsters ability to provide an easy and on-the-site way to safely dispose of debris, led to a growing demand. As demand grew, many sought to design other types of dumpsters; however, none have had the type of impact that Dempster’s inventions had.
The flexibility of dumpsters we use today is unquestionable. From small driveway size models that are no bigger than a minivan to versions built with a compactor system, the Dempster brothers made it all possible.
Dumpster Rentals Today
When asked, “Where did dumpsters come from?”, you can now serve as somewhat of an expert. Thanks to George Dempster, dumpster rental provides an easy hassle-free way to dispose of your residential, commercial, and construction waste.
Let Haul-Away be a part of your dumpster history. Choosing to use a dumpster for your projects can ease the logistics of waste disposal and management and save you a lot of time and effort. Work smarter, not harder. Haul-Away offers a variety of roll-off dumpsters to make projects easier. From 7 yards to 40, we’ve got you covered.
Haul-Away knows that every dumpster rental is different; contact us today to ask questions about our dumpsters or to rent a dumpster.