Who We Are
Layla, Natalie, Zoie and Danny Keaton
In 2007, Danny Keaton began hauling trash and recycling in the back of a 1985 Toyota van for residents in Madison County, with the laid back motto "Danny's Dumpster - You Make It, We Take It". But when green legislation passed in North Carolina in 2008, requiring businesses with alcoholic beverage permits to recycle their bottles, he soon realized that the future of trash hauling lay in responsible disposal not mass disposal.
In 2009, Danny began hauling commercial compostable waste to a local processing facility, simultaneously diverting large volumes of materials from area landfills and creating quality topsoil as a by-product. This new service and several grants from the North Carolina Department of Environmental and Natural Resources helped to establish Danny's Dumpster as a green industry and set it apart from corporate waste haulers. To reflect these changes, the business motto
evolved to "Danny's Dumpster - Reducing Waste, Renewing Resources".
As the business continues to grow, thanks to our customers, our mission becomes more fully realized - to re-invent Western North Carolina's waste industry by enabling, educating and inspiring people to dispose responsibly and reduce waste through composting and recycling.
To learn more about who we are and what we do, call 828.380-9094.
Employees
Justin Skemp
Since 2010 Justin has been our resident philosopher (no really- he has a degree in it), and can usually be counted on to find pearls of wisdom in even the smelliest of trash cans. When not slinging trash, Justin can be found laying stone or working his organic farm in Madison County.
James Mills
James is the muscle behind all heavy lifting at Danny's Dumpster. Don't let his size or hip-hop image fool you - he's the jolliest trash man you ever did see! James graduated from Asheville's non-profit Green Opportunities program in the spring of 2010 and began working with Danny's Dumpster soon after. (Check out James and his group "Bloodline" at www.dstreetstudios.org)
Sheldon Collins
Sheldon is the most recent addition to our team. He came aboard in 2011, also having graduated from Green Opportunities. He brings with him lots of drive and determination and a skill set perfectly suited for working in green industry.
Partner
Mike Crowell
Mike Crowell is the owner of Crowell Farm, the largest certified compost processing facility in Western North Carolina, and a big part of why we are able to do what we do. His facility in Asheville, transitioned from an old dairy farm nearly a decade ago, is the destination for all of the organic materials that we collect. There, Mike combines a variety of compostable materials to create a quality topsoil that is "cooked", turned, screened and then sold back to the community. Interested in touring the farm? Call Danny at 828.380.9094.
Volunteers
Family, A.K.A. Free Labor
Danny Keaton married into a large family, which has gotten him a lot of free labor over the years. Like superheros with a second identity, these doctors, lawyers, school teachers and students routinely transform on weekends and holidays to answer the siren call of trash. Thanks family -the work would be much harder and less entertaining without you!