A two-year-old boy has made it his business to greet the garbage man every week, sparking a heart-warming friendship.

The unexpected friendship between Texas-based toddler Lance Rufus and garbage man James Jackson was recently revealed by local broadcaster CBSDFW .

The two met a year-and-a-half ago while Mr Jackson was making his weekly rounds. Lance’s mother Chantal Rufus said her son has since begun to greet the garbage man on all his visits.

“It’s like, Lance is eating breakfast, he hears it, he stops and says, ‘Garbage truck!’ We have to get him out of the high chair and run to the back,” Ms Rufus said.

Lance’s parents have celebrated his keen interest in the sanitation business by dressing him up in a reflective vest and tiny recycling video for Halloween.

Video filmed by CBSDFW shows Lance waiting by the kerb in costume to greet Mr Jackson.

Mr Jackson said he is delighted by the boy’s devotion.

“To see a youngster that’s so excited… It makes it all sweet when you see someone who really likes what you do,” he said.