In August 2017, Jes Foster joined the city of Asheville, N.C., as the sanitation division manager – a position that is also known as the solid waste manager – in the public works department. She manages a full-time staff of 44 people, along with several seasonal positions.

Recently, Foster was recognized by the American Public Works Association with an award in solid waste leadership. She was nominated by the sanitation operations manager.

“I think that is really the most important thing to me,” Foster said, “to know that my sanitation team stands behind me and supports me. Our successes are truly a team effort, with so many people giving their all every day to serve our community and to better themselves and our program.”

Her division provides residential trash, yard waste and scrap metal collection services to residents of the city of Asheville. They also service public street receptacles, provide sanitation customer service and execute sanitation-related code enforcement services.

Foster manages contracts for residential recycling and roadside litter collection; there is also a full-time waste reduction program manager who focuses on the waste reduction and diversion programs such as recycling events, food scrap drop-off collection and outreach to the community.

“Our mission is to promote a healthy, safe and sustainable community by providing efficient, reliable and innovative waste management services,” Foster described. “’We strive to deliver excellent customer service and are committed to enhancing our community and the environment through the implementation of an effective integrated waste management plan.”

That mission is the backbone of the division’s primary goals, which include on-time collection of solid waste, brush and recycling; enforcement of solid waste ordinances; creation of an engaging and positive work environment for sanitation employees; and exploration of opportunities to improve sanitation efficiency, safety and sustainability as well as reduce generated and landfilled waste.

According to Foster, one of the greatest challenges in sanitation is getting others to understand the work.

“For most people, trash is an afterthought. Waste is something that goes away and most people don’t pay attention to it until something goes wrong,” she said. “As the solid waste manager, staying connected with my colleagues, understanding their work and communicating where our work intersects is critical to ensuring those who are working in city planning and initiatives consider the impacts of solid waste management on our community. In addition to the environmental and public health facets of our work, waste management and collection intersects with and impacts the planning of housing, businesses, parks, public spaces, traffic, road quality, pedestrian safety and wildlife, as well as noise and quality of life issues. It is also something that touches the lives of every single person in our community.”

Foster has assisted with a variety of projects since joining the city. When she first started, the sanitation division had a 40% vacancy rate, so she worked to restructure the team and recruit with opportunities for advancement. She now has no vacancies and one of the most diverse departments in the city.

Teaming up with the sustainability department, she helped to create the city’s first compost drop-off site and then partnered with the county to expand to more sites throughout both jurisdictions.

In order to reduce plastic waste, she helped the department transition from the collection of yard waste in plastic bags to collection in paper bags or containers. The department also introduced the purple bag pilot program, which distributes purple trash bags to homeless members of the community to help them collect and dispose of waste and reduce litter. The purple color alerts the sanitation staff that it needs to be collected.

Another pilot program is the residential bear cart, which allows the city to test various bear-resistant carts — a necessity due to area wildlife issues.

Two new technology improvements have also been implemented. Rubicon is now used to help improve collection routes and safety using automated vehicle locating, and ReCollect is used to provide better customer service and information to residents.

Foster’s work in waste management began when she was a freshman at Duke University. While at school, she worked at Duke Recycles, the student recycling operation. There, she studied environmental sciences and policy.

“I loved my work as a student,” Foster recalled. “I learned to drive a large truck; operate a forklift, baling machinery and glass crushers; and did outreach at community events.”

For a year following graduation, she continued her work as Duke Recycles community education coordinator. She then took a position with Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, N.C., as the recycling supervisor. There, she ran a crew of 10 to 30 students and helped to establish one of the original campus free stores, helped to build and operate several composting facilities and developed an independent study course on food waste.

She received recognition of her department’s innovative waste reduction measures at the state and national levels. Then, during her last year there, she took on the role of facilities supervisor, which involved overseeing multiple departments, including motor fleet, waste management, landscaping and custodial services.

Foster began work on her Master of Science degree in sustainability at Lenoir Rhyne University and completed it after starting her position with Asheville.

A friend had shared the Asheville position availability, and she applied.

“I didn’t expect to get an interview, and I have to say I was very surprised when I was offered the position. I was excited to accept the role and to have the opportunity to serve the wider community and have a greater impact in our region.”

Her future goals include kicking off the city’s long-term solid waste master planning process.

“We had worked for years to get funding for this project and had finally received support and engaged a consultant to assist us in the process,” Foster said. “Then, in September 2024, Hurricane Helene hit and devastated Asheville and western North Carolina. Most of our projects and goals were put on hold. Since September, I have been almost solely focused on debris removal, coordinating with FEMA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the state of North Carolina, contractors and numerous other partners to clear debris from our roads, waterways, parks and public and private properties.” Many of the debris projects should be completed later this year. After that, Foster said, and her goal will be to determine future solid waste management needs and goals.

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