DSNY Would Exempt Shabbos-Observers From Putting out Garbage after 8 pm, if Change is Implemented

 By Yehudit Garmaise

When BoroPark24 reported on Thursday that the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) is considering implementing a new citywide rule to postpone the time at which residents and businesses can put out trash bags, a reader pointed out that on Friday nights, Orthodox Jews will have already taken in Shabbos at that time.

Disgusted with citywide rat sightings and smells, Mayor Eric Adams and DSNY Commissioner Jessica Tisch sparked the idea to shorten the time that the city’s 24,000 pounds garbage and recycling sits in black bags on the city streets.

The agency has already begun to increase overnight pick-ups to dispose of the trash as soon as possible.

“We’re now picking up about 5 million pounds of trash and recycling on the midnight to 8am shift, instead of the 6am to 2pm shift,” Josh Goodman, the DSNY’s assistant commissioner for public affairs, told BoroPark24. “That’s several times higher than pre-pandemic.

One exception to potential new rule, which would take up to six months for approval and implementation, was that residential and commercial trash bins that have secure lids can go out starting a 6pm, but that time also comes later than the zman in the winter.

BoroPark24 followed up with Goodman to ask whether DSNY would also consider allowing the tens of thousands of NYC Orthodox Jewish to put out their trash earlier on Friday night before they light the candles and bring in Shabbos.

“Of course there will be an exemption on Friday nights for Shomer Shabbos New Yorkers,” Goodman answered kindly.

For DSNY to change the time at which New Yorkers put out their black bags, and hopefully eliminate rats and less-than-wonderful smells emerging from the city’s streets, the agency will have to submit draft regulations to the City Record and then process the submissions to the public comment period.