Trash trouble: Newark residents say garbage has not been picked up in weeks
They say the issue began days before the Feb. 22 blizzard and has continued since.
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Residents in Newark say they are frustrated after garbage along their block has not been collected for nearly three weeks, leaving trash piling up and attracting rodents.
Bags of garbage line North 10th Street. Residents say it has been there longer than it should be. They say the issue began days before the Feb. 22 blizzard and has continued since.
“It’s bad. The rats are coming out, the raccoons, the opossums,” said resident Edith White. "They’re ripping the bags open."
Another neighbor said recycling has also not been picked up.
“It has been almost three weeks that they haven’t picked up the garbage, not even recycling. You can still see all the garbage cans out,” Santos Velez said.
White, who said she has lived in the neighborhood for 63 years, described it as the worst sanitation situation she has seen in the area.
Residents say they contacted the city but were told they needed to wait.
“I called the city two times and they said, ‘You have to wait, maybe Friday. We have fewer trucks. We have a lot of garbage in Newark,’” resident Alexis Tello said.
In the meantime, some residents have taken matters into their own hands, cleaning up torn bags and loose debris.
Residents say they hope city leaders will address the issue soon.
“I’m really mad at the mayor. Somebody needs to be a mayor for this whole town, not just one ward, White said.
In a statement to News 12, a spokesperson for the city stated that the blizzard impacted garbage collection:
“Aware of the labor demands of the historic blizzard Newark just experienced, with a record-breaking 28 inches of snow, the City’s Department of Public Works used every communication means available to alert residents of the temporarily adjusted garbage and recycling schedule to prioritize snow removal in each of the city’s pickup zones.
They also added that residents on North 10th Street. should expect garbage collection on Tuesday.
“Any resident on North 10th St., who has put their garbage out at the curb should already be aware that their garbage collection day will be tomorrow, Tuesday, March 3."
