NYC Sanitation Faces Challenges Amid Deep Freeze, Garbage Collection Delayed
New York City’s sanitation department is grappling with significant logistical hurdles as lingering snow and ice continue to disrupt garbage and recycling collection. While trash pickup is being prioritized, the city is currently experiencing delays in recycling services, officials said.
“Given that the same sanitation workers who pick up trash have been clearing the foot of snow and ice that fell last Sunday, we are about one day behind on collection, and we ask for patience from New Yorkers while we catch up,” Department of Sanitation spokesman Josh Goodman told THE CITY on . “We are prioritizing trash and compost — the stuff that can smell — over recyclables, but we are picking up all streams, all across the city, just on a slight delay,” he added.
The department is deploying hundreds of trucks on extended 12-hour shifts to address the backlog. In addition to regular collection routes, 193 basket trucks are being utilized to empty the approximately 23,000 litter baskets throughout the five boroughs, operating on a two-shift schedule instead of the usual three.
City officials are also proactively addressing the issue of garbage buried beneath the snow piles. Snow melters are equipped with filters designed to capture any loose trash. However, the collection of commercial waste, handled by private carting companies, could contribute to the accumulation of garbage on city streets, Goodman noted.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani publicly praised the efforts of the city’s sanitation workers at a press conference held on amid frigid temperatures. The Department of Sanitation is currently under the leadership of acting commissioner Javier Lojan, who was appointed during the previous administration of Eric Adams.
Approximately 2,500 sanitation workers are working overtime, completing 12-hour shifts instead of their standard eight-hour schedules. According to a report from the New York Daily News, an additional 1,500 workers from various city agencies have been deployed to assist with clearing bus stops, sidewalks, and crosswalks.
Mamdani stated that garbage collection is currently running 24 hours behind schedule, despite the increased workforce and extended shifts. “What I’m thankful to see is that the pace of cleanup is increasing, and I am hopeful that that continues to be the case across the five boroughs,” Mamdani said, according to the New York Daily News.
The mayor also emphasized the challenges posed by the persistent cold weather, which typically allows for some natural melting of snow, easing the burden on city workers. “What that has meant is that the entirety of the city’s response is up to the city workers themselves, and what they’ve been doing is an incredible job,” he added.
However, not all residents are satisfied with the current state of affairs. Michelle Walker, a 57-year-old healthcare worker from Gowanus, Brooklyn, expressed her frustration with the mounting garbage. “For people coming home from work, it’s discouraging,” Walker said, as reported by the New York Daily News. “Already with this new administration, our streets are not clean. It is what it is.”
The Department of Sanitation has posted a “Snow Alert” on its website, acknowledging potential delays in collection due to the winter storm. Residents seeking information about services can contact 311 through the city’s website, nyc.gov/311.
