Neighbors share their opinions on the city's new trash can proposal

Syracuse, N.Y. — More than a dozen of Syracuse neighbors attended a Common Council public hearing to voice their opinions on the newly-proposed trash pickup system on Wednesday.

“What we are proposing is that the city will provide a new 95 gallon cart to residents in two phases,” said Corey Driscoll Dunham, the city’s chief operating officer. “Phase 1 will include 20% of the city with the goal of rolling out the rest of the carts in phase two.”

Under the new proposal, Syracuse neighbors will be required to use a one-sized 95 gallon trash cart. In order to have their trash picked up, making it easier for sanitation workers to just roll out the cart to a semi automated pickup, without heavy lifting.

Many in support of the new plan said this will certainly help create a cleaner Syracuse.

“I want cleaner streets,” said Ruthnie Angrad. “I want less trash in the streets, and I want to know that the men who are picking up my trash are not exhausted because they’re making two to three trips.”

While many see the future benefit of less litter and reduced injuries for workers, some sanitation workers are concerned about cuts to staff.

“I understand change has to come,” said Saboor Coleman. “That’s not the issue here. My concern is that because they’re going to make it more efficient, more efficiency means less laborers, less workers to run this stuff.”

Another major concern with the proposal–all properties with four or more units will be responsible for their own garbage disposal, leaving landlords with no choice but to buy large dumpsters. A fee that eventually raises costs for tenants.

“The tenants pay for everything,” said Greg Smith.

“The reality of it is, there’s no place to put it,” said property owner Robert Frank. “You have a narrow driveway on a residential street. If you try to put a dumpster on a paved area, you’ll displace a couple of cars.”

After the meeting the city’s chief operating officer said the next phase of this proposal will be reviewing the feedback they received, and adjusting what they can to the proposal before bringing it back to common council for a final review by the end of this month.