BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — With the mounds of snow now behind us, seeing garbage cans overflowing and lined along streets is now a familiar sight. Garbage crews are back out, picking up your trash, but there might be some delays due to excessive debris from the storm and the holidays.
"It's a lot. It's a lot of trash that's around right now," Jennifer Sullivan, a city resident, said.
Driving around Buffalo, you will see trash piled high and some cans stuffed to the brim.
"The last time we had pick up was before Christmas," Sullivan said .
Some, like Sullivan, said they haven't seen a garbage truck in a while.
"Its been two weeks and two major holidays since then so as you can see around here all of the trash is overflowing," she said.
It's now a typical view, and smell, in some city neighborhoods
"It's understandable. You live in a city where on trash pick up there's going to be smells especially if you have a dog that needs to be walked outside but this is certainly the most I've seen," she added.
Between the storm and back-to-back holidays, Susan Attridge, director of refuse and recycling with the city, said this is to be expected, especially this time of year.
"People get presents they have company, so garbage is really heavy. With that delay it has really pushed that situation to its max," Attridge said.
What happens, Attridge said, is when crews go on their runs, it's a one-stop shop, but with excess trash, crews have to make multiple stops to the transfer station and back. Still, she said not to worry.
"If at the end of the day, they see their garbage or recycling is not done, don't be too worried about it because we're gonna probably go in the following day and complete the pick-up," she said.
Attridge also said if you are throwing out your real Christmas tree, crews will pick it up for composting but do not wrap it. It will most likely be picked up on garbage day or a few days after. If you are throwing out TVs, do not leave them out at your curb. Attridge said you can get a summons for that. Instead, she said, you can bring it to the city's electronic waste drop-off site.
As for recycling, she said crews are caught up, but if residents want to see what is still out there, the Buffalo recycle Facebook page will post a map of where crews still have to go. Although it will take some time, your trash will be picked up, and crews should be back on schedule soon.
"We hope to be completely caught up by Saturday and then Monday, we'll be able to start fresh," Attridge said.
This is a relief for a lot of people still dealing with all that trash.
"Looking forward to pick up when that does happen. It's supposed to come today so we will see," Sullivan said.
