STEVE INSKEEP, host:
And today's last word in business is trash, or the lack of it. Allied Waste Management, the garbage collectors in St. George, Utah, say their clients are throwing out less stuff. The company measures trash in tons, and right now the tonnage is down about 10 to 15 percent.
St. George is a couple of hours away from Las Vegas, an area hit hard by the collapse of the housing market. St. George has seen an increase in new homes, but many of them are empty. No trash. Allied Waste also says people are consuming less, which means they don't produce as much waste.
The garbage truck drivers are paid per house and by tonnage, so less trash is bad for their business. Drivers are taking home 25 to 50 dollars less each week. One man's trash is another man's paycheck. And that's the business news on Morning Edition from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.