The old saying is that one man's trash is another man's treasure. To Manny Chagoya, everyone's trash is a business. Manny is the owner of Trash Trimmers, a residential and commercial cleanup and trash hauling service in the Houston area. His business covers a wide range of services from cleaning out garages to clearing warehouses of debris and old machinery.

Manny has been running a trash hauling business for 18 years. He started his business in California and continued it when he moved to Houston 10 years ago. He points out that he was actually born in Texas and has always considered himself a native Texan. He has worked as a mechanic, welder and machinist in various industries. Currently, he and his family live in northwest Houston.

Manny says he enjoys his work. "The best part of my business is meeting all the nice people in a predicament with trash and debris that needs to be removed, and we can come in and try to be very helpful."

He says when he first started his business he found that many customers wanted to have reusable items recycled instead of having them go to a landfill. So he made it a part of his business to sort items according to how they could best be recycled. "Things that are worthy for donation, reusable, recyclable or repairable are set aside and taken to the proper facility. Cardboard and paper goes to a paper recycling mill, metal goes to recycling, and car batteries and car parts can also be recycled. I use the city landfills and recycling centers, as well as donating items to local charity organizations," he says.

Manny says he is personally involved in every job. "We have five people working with us, and a professional financial consultant and operations manager to guide us. As the owner I do all the hands-on, all the follow up and do all the initial consultation and estimates for the folks that need my services."

Hazardous household waste is not included in his services at this time. He suggests that such waste be taken to the City's Consumer Recycling Center at 5900 Westpark.

Trash Trimmers will pick up any curbside heavy trash missed by the city service. "When the city is coming through and you did not have time to put everything out at the curb and you miss it, or you might put everything out on the curb and they don't show up and before you get a ticket you can call me and we will pick it up. Our fee is very reasonable."