Garbage Can Tug Of War In Southwestern Brooklyn

A new article in the Brooklyn Paper highlights the conflict between the city and Community Board 10 over whether or not to keep garbage cans on Bay Ridge Avenue in Bay Ridge.

The community board had requested a study, which began in May, where trash receptacles were removed from Bay Ridge Avenue, in order to determine if the lack of cans would reduce the amount of illegal garbage dumping.

However, over the course of the study new cans were installed on the avenue at the request of State Senator Marty Golden.  These cans had smaller holes, meant to discourage the dumping of household garbage.

CB 10 District Manager Josephine Beckman and Environmental Committee Chairman Greg Ahl think these new cans have interfered in their efforts to reduce littering, causing more dumping. Sanitation officials disagree with this assessment, saying more cans are on the way.

The precursor of Bay Ridge’s effort to do away with public trash cans started back in 2009, when Community Board 11 in Bensonhurst got rid of cans on 86th Street.

More recently, Bensonhurst Bean reported that garbage cans were nixed on 18th Avenue between Bay Ridge Parkway and 65th Street.

What do you guys think? Do more trash cans mean more or less litter?

You’ve all probably seen the larger receptacles with smaller openings put in place by elected officials. Could they strike a happy medium between traditional cans and no cans at all?

And don’t even get me started on trash compactors…