If you live in a house built before 1960, you may still have a charred relic of Southern California’s smoggy history, the backyard incinerator.
From the earliest days of community living, humans have struggled with managing their garbage, sewage, and discarded junk. During the Industrial Revolution from about 1760 to 1840, garbage, and waste became untenable, particularly in large European cities. It was during this period that large cities began creating municipal codes to manage waste.
Southern California’s population began booming in the 1880s, and the continued explosive growth created complex waste-disposal problems. They were handled in a haphazard and disconnected fashion until the mid-1900s. Cement contractor James McNair won the contract with the city to pick up the garbage, and he was preparing to construct a large incinerator to burn the material. During the early 1900s, garbage contractors often paid the city for the right to pick up the trash, and they made a profit from recycling discarded materials. McNair’s contract required him to pay San Bernardino $100 per year.