concernedcitizen21
January 8th, 2007, 11:37 PM
Hello everyone. Here is a local issue that is causing a stir over on YouTube that I'd like to share with the rest of NYC.
As you probably know, the NYC DOS has a great program that eliminates tons of refuse that would otherwise end-up in landfills. This past November, many NYC residents had their raked and bagged leaves collected for compost. Two dates were scheduled for Staten Island, 11/11 and 11/25. The City Council even provided 5 paper bags per household as a primer for the new laws of 2007.
All went well with the collection on 11/11.
The problem arose with the 11/25 collection.
At the height of the Fall season, many bags are quickly piled-up for two weeks awaiting this collection - which never came for a large section of my neighborhood.
I was made aware of an earlier problem by an article published on 11/17 by the SI Advance:
Raking efforts are thrown in the trash
Sanitation workers told to mix bagged leaves with regular garbage
http://www.silive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news/1163770232158840.xml&coll=1
So, On Monday, 11/27, I placed a call to 311 explaining the situation. I was read a memo issued by the DOS stating that the collection process can take place anytime during the following week.
Sure enough, some web research reveals that that is indeed the truth.
Here's an excerpt from a DOS website:
Note: Leaf pickup may take place as early as the next morning, so it is important to place material at the curb on the designated Saturday night. If your leaves are not picked up by the next day, they will be collected later in the week. If leaves are not picked up by Thursday, then call 311 to report a missed collection.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycwasteless/html/recycling/fall2006compost.shtml#bronx
My fears were subdued until Wednesday, 11/29 - our regularly scheduled day for household collection.
After hearing the approaching truck, I rushed to the window to witness everything (including the leaves) being thrown into the same truck.
Since I live on a two-way street, and the truck collects one side at a time, I figured that I still had some time to stop the situation with another call to 311.
This time, I was forwarded to a "sanitation specialist". After explaining the occurring problem, the person seemed very willing to help. But, I needed to provide him with one piece of information - a truck number.
As I awaited the truck to make the return trip up the block, I grabbed my video camera and recorded this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGBi5gaiYP4
Instead of making another call to 311, I wrote an email to Councilman James Oddo and provided the link to my video.
The next day I received a reply from him with an assurance that the matter would be investigated.
In the meantime, several insulting comments were posted for the video which prompted me to carry-over the discussion to here.
Please feel free to add your opinions here.
As you probably know, the NYC DOS has a great program that eliminates tons of refuse that would otherwise end-up in landfills. This past November, many NYC residents had their raked and bagged leaves collected for compost. Two dates were scheduled for Staten Island, 11/11 and 11/25. The City Council even provided 5 paper bags per household as a primer for the new laws of 2007.
All went well with the collection on 11/11.
The problem arose with the 11/25 collection.
At the height of the Fall season, many bags are quickly piled-up for two weeks awaiting this collection - which never came for a large section of my neighborhood.
I was made aware of an earlier problem by an article published on 11/17 by the SI Advance:
Raking efforts are thrown in the trash
Sanitation workers told to mix bagged leaves with regular garbage
http://www.silive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news/1163770232158840.xml&coll=1
So, On Monday, 11/27, I placed a call to 311 explaining the situation. I was read a memo issued by the DOS stating that the collection process can take place anytime during the following week.
Sure enough, some web research reveals that that is indeed the truth.
Here's an excerpt from a DOS website:
Note: Leaf pickup may take place as early as the next morning, so it is important to place material at the curb on the designated Saturday night. If your leaves are not picked up by the next day, they will be collected later in the week. If leaves are not picked up by Thursday, then call 311 to report a missed collection.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycwasteless/html/recycling/fall2006compost.shtml#bronx
My fears were subdued until Wednesday, 11/29 - our regularly scheduled day for household collection.
After hearing the approaching truck, I rushed to the window to witness everything (including the leaves) being thrown into the same truck.
Since I live on a two-way street, and the truck collects one side at a time, I figured that I still had some time to stop the situation with another call to 311.
This time, I was forwarded to a "sanitation specialist". After explaining the occurring problem, the person seemed very willing to help. But, I needed to provide him with one piece of information - a truck number.
As I awaited the truck to make the return trip up the block, I grabbed my video camera and recorded this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGBi5gaiYP4
Instead of making another call to 311, I wrote an email to Councilman James Oddo and provided the link to my video.
The next day I received a reply from him with an assurance that the matter would be investigated.
In the meantime, several insulting comments were posted for the video which prompted me to carry-over the discussion to here.
Please feel free to add your opinions here.