DC Public Works crews struggle to pickup trash in icy conditions
In an alley off I Street NE, between 7th and 8th streets, a D.C. Department of Public Works trash compactor truck carefully backs down a narrow path that is virtually a sheet of ice.
About a dozen crew members busily gather mounds of trash that have accumulated in and around the multiple trash cans lining the alley.
At the other end of the alley, a compact Toyota is stuck in a large mound of ice, spinning its wheels. Three DPW workers push the car, which finally came out of the ice and was freed.
It’s all part of the job for this team, which helped free five stranded vehicles on Tuesday alone.
“Safety is No. 1 for us,” said DPW supervisor Keith Leftwich. “We’re dealing with a lot of ice, slush and snow, and it’s very difficult. And if you’re not used to this, you could really hurt yourself.”
Trash and recycling pickup returned to a normal schedule this week. DPW crews have been going through neighborhoods, doing their best to collect as much trash as possible.
“We’re just trying to make sure that we get as many alleys and streets as we can so we can get back to normal,” Leftwich said.
The trash truck, which can hold about 1.5 tons of material, was being followed by a smaller pickup truck full of salt and shovels. If the trash truck became stuck, workers could shovel salt under the tires for traction.
Leftwich said that had already happened three times Tuesday.
The crew, which Leftwich refers to as his “beautification team,” encountered several overflowing public trash cans. The crew had to chip away ice and shovel around the cans before they could remove them and dump their contents into the trash truck.
“There’s so much ice,” Leftwich said. “We’re having a hard time getting the trash out of the alley because most of the cans are snowed in.”
DPW officials advise putting your trash out on the sidewalks as best you can, even if it’s not your regular trash collection day. They say crews are working around the clock, and your trash will be picked up eventually. If your trash isn’t picked up within two days of its regular collection day, you can call 311 to report it.