Garbage collection slowly resumes across NYC

NEW YORK - Garbage pickup is finally getting back on track in New York City after this week's storm, but by the looks of it, sanitation crews will have their work cut out for them.

Monday's Nor'easter and the foot and a half of snow it left behind left hills of trash between and atop icebergs of dirty snow.

New York City Sanitation Commissioner Edward Grayson's crews resumed limited trash pickup Thursday for the first time since the storm, but the commissioner admitted it would take days for the department to catch up on the backlog of heaping refuse, and he hoped that recycling pickup would also start again soon.

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"We're asking all residents, just be patient with us," Grayson said.

With half of their crews still dedicated to snow removal, the Sanitation Department has extended the shifts of those starting trash pickup.

"Are there additional crews picking up trash? No, we only have the same amount of people who work here," Grayson said.

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Those same men and women slowly picking up our trash spent the last five days preparing for and cleaning up Monday's storm.

The sanitation department also reminded New Yorkers that it only removes residential trash, commercial businesses massing garbage bags on street corners have contracts with vendors to pick up their trash. Vendors, it seems, that may have also delayed their gathering.