Several east Bronx communities now have street litter receptacles that discourage the dumping of household waste.
One of the 62 new bins, now dotting street corners in a host of neighborhoods, was ceremoniously unveiled on Friday, June 24 at Randall and East Tremont avenues.
The taller and heavier baskets are thee result of a NYC budget allocation of $33,921.
They can be found at busy intersections across the borough through the efforts of local councilmembers.
Last Friday Councilman James Vacca and Kathryn Garcia, NYC Department of Sanitation commissioner, celebrated the new trash receptacles already placed throughout Morris Park, Throggs Neck, Westchester Square, City Island and Pelham Parkway.
“They have been well-received…I just thought they were perfect for my district,” said Vacca.
The litter baskets are much more decorative than typical ones, said Vacca.
“It is important that my district looked dressed up,” he said, adding “I think they look great on the street.”
The councilman said his district has many streets that are consistently ranked as highly clean by DSNY, but recently he has noticed that the more ubiquitous wire receptacles were being stuffed with household refuse. This causes the receptacles to overflow Garcia said.
“I honestly don’t understand, because we are going to pick it up,” said Garcia of the people who dump household waste into street receptacles instead of at home.
The city’s sanitation commissioner said that thousands of such high-end litter baskets are now in place throughout the city as a result of the council allocation.
According to DSNY spokeswoman 44 high-end litter baskets were installed in the borough in Fiscal Year 2015 and another 108 were placed in the budget year ending June 30 as part of council member allocations in the NYC Cleanup Initiative.
“Efforts between elected officials and the department – as well as our ongoing work with local merchants and residents – demonstrates how close partnerships can make a difference in our neighborhoods,” the spokeswoman stated.
The litter baskets are also much heavier and harder for unauthorized people to remove, said the councilman.
“We have some issues here with baskets being stolen for many years,” said Vacca.
The councilman said that in his time in office and as Community Board 10 district manager, it would never cease to amaze him to have baskets placed at a location only to see them stolen shortly thereafter.
Passersby on East Tremont Avenue lauded the new additions to the commercial shopping strip.
Walter Fuller of Throggs Neck, said that the typical wire baskets quickly full up with litter, and they are prone to being rifled through by people who are looking for deposit bottles.
Anna Vincenty lauded Vacca’s efforts, saying that the litter baskets are needed along the street.
