ScrubCan keeping garbage bins clean without wasting water

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A former high school football star has found a new way to shine, by starting a new and unique business. Corey Jackson's company ScrubCan cleans your garbage bins. He says it's dirty job, but he's the one who wants to do it.

At first, when you see the ScrubCan truck coming down the street, you might think it's here to pick up your trash. But these guys only show up after your bins are empty. And what's left behind, is sometimes worse than the garbage itself.

Corey Jackson explained, "It's a nasty job, but someone has to do it, right? Maggots, flies, some of the worst smells you can imagine."

Jackon and his brother Phillip started ScrubCan back in November 2014. Think of it as a sort of mobile dishwasher for your garbage cans. The water is heated to 250 degrees then shoots through pressurized jets to sanitize and clean them.

Jackson pointed out, "And it falls down and it catches in the basin recycles through the truck and goes through multiple filters and then we recycle the water."

Not exactly the kind of job Jackson imagined, when he was a star running back at Bullard High School. But when a career in the NFL didn't work out, he kept looking for the right opportunity.

Jackson said, "My mind was always working, always had ideas to do stuff."

That's when inspiration, or should we say, odor, struck: "I had the worst garbage cans ever. I probably had the worst on the block. You know, I'd roll my cans out the night before trash day and I'd see neighbors walking their dogs and they'll go around my can. You know, it was embarrassing experience. So I said, someone's gotta do something about this."

But the drought presented a major challenge: where to get the water. He found the perfect solution at the City of Fresno's free recycled water yard. Jackson was one of the first customers to take advantage of it starting this summer.

Conrad Braganza, the Wastewater Reclamation Coordinator said, "I thought Corey was innovative in his business idea. And he wanted to use the non-potable water, which I think is a great avenue."

A sustainable service that many customers never knew they needed, until now.

"When they see the difference, it's overwhelming and they call me back," said Jackson.