Bethel Sanitation is a garbage business in Sullivan County that thinks about trash differently. Its branding is colorful and unique, its social media presence is refreshingly upbeat and engaging, and their attitude towards community stewardship is inspiring. 

Owner, director and garbage truck operator Andrew Liff explained that his novel approach to the trash business came from a desire to start dialogue with local homeowners through social media. 

“In terms of how people look at the garbage industry as a whole, it’s been put in this box of dirty, cold, dark, [unpleasant work],” he said. 

But Liff and his sister Samantha Garchik, who is office manager and content creator, want to change how people view the garbage business, so they don’t post pictures of garbage.

“We post fun vibes and dogs; it’s colorful and it brings light to a blue collar industry,” said Liff. Because of the light-hearted nature of their social media posts fashioned by Garchik, Bethel Sanitation enjoys heavy traction with their followers and gets weekly job inquiries.

Another strategy Liff employed to set his business apart and change public perception was to commission local artist Josh Deitchman to paint a mural on his new garbage truck. 

“I went down to Maryland to get this truck, it was crispy white,” he said. He knew it was time for him to create his own business and separate from his father’s business (Ira Liff Transport), and he wanted a fresh look that incorporated his dog Sadie into the branding. After several brainstorming meetings with Deitchman, they came up with the concept for the mural: a huge, colorful painting of Sadie wearing headphones next to the business name and their phone number.

“I love [the mural]; it turns heads, it gets phone calls and instant brand recognition.” Sadie is a gentle, black “12-year old puppy” with white whiskers who rides in the truck at Liff’s side everyday as he drives the garbage routes and picks up trash. Liff said Sadie, who sits in a dog thrown in the passenger seat, “cannot wait to jump in the truck. She runs the show- she’s a social media superstar!”

Collecting trash in Sullivan County is nothing new to Liff, who has worked for his Dad’s garbage company since high school. His father Ira Liff was a lifelong firefighter, as was his grandfather Ralph Liff, who moved to the area from Ohio in 1906. The spirit of public service is alive and well in Andrew, who is also a firefighter and rescue diver. Under the program “Honoring Heroes,” Bethel Sanitation offers discounts to first responders and military personnel, as well as discounts for senior citizens. 

Liff explained his motivation for the discount: “It’s really difficult to watch people not really give [first responders] the credit they deserve for their drop of the hat response. [The Honoring Heroes Program] is the way I can give back.”

Community cleanup

When Liff saw the Spring’s snow melt reveal trash on the side of the road in his community, he felt like he was in the position to help. He thought, “We should adopt these roads,” so he reached out to the Town of Bethel and adopted 6 miles of roads. 

Liff also wondered about the potential for a county wide litterpluck and visited Sullivan County Parks and Recreation Director Brian Scardefield, but he soon realized during their talk that it was too late in the Spring; to organize a countywide litterpluck, planning would need to start in the winter. 

Liff went back to the Town of Bethel to discuss hosting a litterpluck event. Despite not having one for the past ten years, The Town of Bethel agreed to partner with Bethel Sanitation to organize two litterplucks on April 26 and May 17. Liff said, “We’re gonna provide gloves and all the necessary equipment.”

Samantha Garchik described this “as a small but meaningful part of a broader effort…There’s been a growing conversation...around the need for cleaner roads and greener public spaces throughout Sullivan County. The litter problem isn’t new, but it’s reached a point where residents and businesses alike are stepping up to say: enough is enough. And we’re proud to be part of that shift.”

The garbage war

Garchik said the hardest part of her job is turning Instagram and Facebook followers into customers, “because for us the race to the bottom is not attractive.” Garchik was referencing the price reductions by other local garbage companies to attract new clients. This comes at a time when the industry has been hit by increasing tipping fees at Sullivan County transfer stations.

Liff said, “When I started [the tipping fee] was $120. A couple months ago we were told it was going up to $136 in January only to find out two weeks later that it’s going up to $150 in July. My overhead is not as much as other bigger companies, but it’s still a significant chunk of [my profit]. At the end of the day we can be pretty, we can be fun, we can be different, but we are a business.” Liff explained there were companies that dramatically increased their prices, and that led to many complaints by angry residents.

Liff said,”Now there are six companies all jockeying for position and it’s a race to the bottom for customer acquisition. I have no interest in the race to the bottom. It’s a full-blown garbage war.”

Andrew and his sister Samantha are betting that positive vibes, a colorful brand, community engagement, and excellent customer service will ultimately win Bethel Sanitation a roster of committed customers. Sadie is always ready to jump in the truck, so if you need reliable trash pickup from a team who really cares about their community, please reach out to Bethel Sanitation at (845-428-3730; or visit bethelsanitation.com.)