Reykjavík mayor Jón Gnarr experienced firsthand today what it is to be a sanitation worker in the city.
According to the city’s website, the mayor woke up much earlier than he normally would today, for the purpose of riding along on a garbage truck. Not one to be a mere spectator, the mayor geared up and helped empty residential bins, as the photos on the city page testify.
“It’s obviously very hard work,” he said. “But it surprised me how quickly and smoothly it all runs.”
Jón was put with a team who have been collecting garbage in the Árbær neighbourhood of east Reykjavík for many years. They were apparently not informed ahead of time that the mayor would be joining them, as they expressed surprise to see him. The mayor worked with them for about an hour.
By the end of this hour, the mayor was tired and sweating profusely, but found the work refreshing. “It’s like the best crossfit,” he said. “You’ll quickly get into good shape at this job.”
Árbær is all the same reportedly one of the easiest neighbourhoods to be a garbage collector. Downtown and the west side are among the most difficult areas for sanitation work, where employees often have to deal with narrow pathways for garbage bins and a maze of one-way streets.
Buy subscriptions, t-shirts and more from our shop right here!
