Walk through several New York City subway stations these days and you’ll be hard pressed to find a place to dump your garbage. Authorities in New York City recently had trash cans removed in order to clean up platforms.
In some areas, travelers have simply chosen to throw their garbage on the ground where cups, old newspapers, and other items sit freely in the open. Authorities hope that the new trashcan free platforms will force subway riders to take their trash with them.
The trash cans, which were removed from two subway stations in 2011, had the desired removal effects workers had hoped for by leading to less trash removal and cleaner platforms.
With the program working, eight more platforms have lost their trash cans and more will follow if the plan continues to work.
According to the New York Times ,the eighth Street and Broadway station in Greenwich Village and the Flushing-Main Street station in Queens have watched trash bag hauls decrease by 50 percent and 67 percent.
New York City officials were not exactly breaking new ground with the trash can free stations; in London, England trashcans have been restricted since 2001. While London first removed the trashcans over security concerns, they soon realized that the stations were cleaner.
With more than 14,000 tons of trash removed from the New York Subway system every single year, a reduction of 50 percent to 65 percent could save the city money while increasing trash collection productivity.
A quick tip for New York City subway riders: If you plan to eat fruit or carry something that might be sticky after consumption like a lollipop stick, carry a plastic bag to dispose of your items which may rot or stick to your clothing.
