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Coming Soon To A Subway Station Near You: Fewer Trash Cans


By

Garth Johnston

Published May 21, 2012

Modified May 21, 2012


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Not a trash can, guys

 

lensjockey's flickr


By

Garth Johnston

Published May 21, 2012

Modified May 21, 2012


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Last October the MTA started an interesting experiment. Without telling anyone, they removed all the trash cans from the Eighth Street N/R and the Main Street 7 stations in an effort to reduce trash. And, despite skepticism from almost everyone, the plan seems to be working as hoped. But it is hard to determine much of statistical value from just two stations. So now, AMNY reports, the MTA is looking to expand the program to a few more stops.

As the exact plan isn't finalized yet the MTA isn't saying which stations will be losing their bins later this summer, but New York City Transit President Tom Prendergast will say a few that won't be going bin-less: "It wouldn't work at a Grand Central or at a Penn Station," he points out. Amen to that!

Further, the MTA says that this time they won't just be taking the trash cans away without warning. "We need to explain to people what we're doing and why we're doing it," Prendergast admitted. And it is true, they most certainly do. Because as much as we (and others) understand theoretically that by taking trash cans away folks are more inclined to dispose of their trash outside of stations...we still have a hard time believing it actually works like that.

Tagged

garbage

garbage bins

MTA

nyct

subway

subway stations

trash

trash cans


Garth Johnston

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