Overview
- Sanitation officials report collection running roughly 24 hours behind, with limited service prioritizing trash and compost over recycling and hundreds of trucks on extended 12-hour shifts.
- An 8-foot trash mound near Gracie Mansion was cleared Monday after media attention, but substantial piles remain on nearby Upper East Side blocks and in multiple neighborhoods.
- Prolonged subfreezing temperatures left hardened snowbanks that crews are breaking up while also clearing bus stops, crosswalks and hydrants, complicating regular pickups.
- EMTs near Weill Cornell and Memorial Sloan Kettering described gridlock and snow barriers that impeded ambulance access and stretcher movement, spurring calls for clearer interagency roles.
- Public criticism intensified as residents and celebrities highlighted overflowing trash and clogged streets, while the city deployed additional workers and snow-melting operations to accelerate cleanup.