Melting snow reveals growing trash problem in Wiliamsburg
According to city data, 311 complaints have been stacking up in the area, including five recent illegal dumping reports and multiple dirty condition calls.
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As snowbanks shrink along Graham Avenue, neighbors say what’s emerging underneath is hard to ignore: food wrappers, scattered garbage and dog waste lining sidewalks and curbs.
“I think this is the worst I've seen in four years,” said Camille Rodriguez, who lives nearby. “It makes the neighborhood that is so nice and pretty - it makes it a little dirty.”
For some residents, the issue goes beyond appearance. Michael Krondl, who has been using crutches for the past two weeks, says maneuvering through slush and trash has been especially challenging.
“It’s tough under the best of circumstances,” Krondl said. “And of course, I've been on crutches for the last two weeks; it’s gross.”
According to city data, 311 complaints have been stacking up in the area, including five recent illegal dumping reports and multiple dirty condition calls. Neighbors say the snow appears to have trapped garbage for weeks, only for it to resurface as temperatures rise.
“You see a lot of garbage located because of the snow and how it's piled up high,” said Dimitri, another resident. “As I see here, they’re not picking it up.”
Some acknowledge that winter storms can delay sanitation work but say they hope cleanup efforts will follow quickly once the streets fully clear.
“I think the city has limited resources, and I'm not sure they can do that much until it all melts,” Krondl added. “But yeah, then you need to clean up all the garbage and all the dog doo and everything else that's been accumulating.”
As the last of the snow disappears, residents along Graham Avenue say they’re waiting to see whether the city will step in, so they no longer have to step around what winter left behind.
