Typically, garbage collection runs smoothly. But recently there have been reports of trash being missed for collection.
Sometimes we forget to put out our garbage and recycling carts for collection on time, or accidentally hit the snooze button of our alarm. If you are wondering what to do if you miss trash day, there are steps you can take if you miss your trash day:
1. Call Your Garbage Company
Trash collection should always take place on its scheduled day to prevent it from becoming a breeding ground for pests that will spread diseases to people nearby and harm both the environment and sanitation workers. To do this effectively, use reusable napkins, straws, and coffee cups when possible to eliminate this wasteful behavior.
Make sure to place your waste out before 12 midnight of the day before, so the truck can pass your house before they begin their services or you can get the job done right with heavy-duty contractor bags.
2. Report the Missed Pickup
As busy people, sometimes things slip our minds. A missed trash day can be more than a simple nuisance: it can become the breeding ground for flies, rats, and other pests that threaten our hygiene and spread disease.
Residents served by DSNY can report missed pickups starting at 8 AM the morning after their scheduled collection day – just make sure your trash and recycling bins are out at the curb by then!
Residents in New York City can also use this online service to request make-up collections of garbage, yard waste, and recycling if their regular collection date falls on an observed holiday of the City – this includes Thanksgiving Day, Christmas, and New Year’s Day among others.
3. Move Your Trash
Keep your trash out of sight and mind to prevent pests like flies, rats, and mosquitoes from breeding there and contributing to an unhygienic home and neighborhood environment. However, missing trash day can create piles of waste that attract pests – in which case, take it to a dump, landfill, or transfer station as quickly as possible for disposal – this may incur a fee but could be an ideal solution in an emergency.
4. Wait for the Next Pickup
As life can get busy, accidents do happen; when they do it’s essential that we act quickly to address the problem before trash piles up and starts taking over our world. Left uncollected, garbage can become a breeding ground for flies, rats, mosquitoes, and microorganisms that spread germs and diseases. If your trash cannot be collected quickly enough, waiting until its scheduled pickup may be the better option. Last week, according to 311 data, calls about missed trash pickup quadrupled. Most complaints came from South Brooklyn, Cypress Hills, and parts of Staten Island where there are high concentrations of sanitation workers who may or may not have received vaccinations and who collect and remove trash throughout the day.
5. Contact Your City
Trash Day is essential in keeping cities free of harmful microorganisms like flies, rats, and mosquitoes. Trash cans serve as breeding grounds for these harmful bacteria if left accumulating for too long; thus allowing these microbes to quickly take hold.
Residents can check their trash collection schedule here by entering their street address and viewing a map showing when collection occurs; if their scheduled day falls on a holiday, the collection will be postponed by one day.
Residents should place their trash cans curbside no later than 7 am on their collection day and keep them clear from mailboxes, mailboxes, cars parked nearby, low wires, or branches. Residents may call 311 to report a missed pickup.
