Breaking from years of tradition, New York City will offer trash pickup on the Labor Day holiday as part of a new pilot program.
The Department of Sanitation announced last week its plan to provide the holiday service thanks to hundreds of workers who volunteered to clear the sidewalks of the five boroughs. An estimated 1,600 workers are expected to be on the streets Monday.
That means any residents who typically place their trash curbside Sunday night for removal the next morning can do so this weekend.
The sanitation department is testing out its new initiative aimed at keeping the streets clean while minimizing additional expenses on behalf of the taxpayer. DSNY officials say crews work overtime after holidays to catch up for the missed pickup day.
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"On holiday weekends, we normally don't provide service on Mondays, so we spend a lot of overtime on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursday getting all the Monday trash off the street," DSNY Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.
If the new program is effective, the commissioner said the city could see more Monday holiday trash pickups. And it comes at a time of boiling over frustrations among New Yorkers tired of trash piling up on city sidewalks.
"Everywhere you look there’s garbage. And all that garbage brings all the rats and roaches and stuff like that," Josh Trottman, of the Bronx, said.
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The nearly 700 garbage trucks expected to be in service on Monday are part of the city's ongoing effort to address trash concerns.
"This is a pilot and the idea came about after 4th of July weekend when I think most New Yorkers agree the city was unacceptably dirty," the commissioner added.
The Labor Day test applies to trash only. The city says normal Monday recycling pickup will resume the following week, and compost can be left curbside Monday night for Tuesday collection.
