DPW Adopts New Trash Collection Procedures for City Parks
An anonymous reader sent DCist a series of photos of a D.C. Department of Public Works garbage truck driving through a recreation field in Rose Park in Georgetown last Saturday. The tipster described the truck as having hopped the curb to gain access to the "grass of a children's play area" in the park, and wondered whether this was safe. No one was injured, but a baby carriage in the foreground of the images certainly drives the point home: should city garbage trucks really be driving across recreation areas where children might be running around, not paying attention?
DPW spokesperson Linda Grant said that while the garbage truck activity pictured in these photos is considered safe driving -- crews are instructed to make sure no one is anywhere near their path before entering a park to collect trash from litter cans -- the department will now be adopting a new policy.
Starting today, DPW will be instructing their collection crews headed to city parks to carry a supercan with them, so that they can collect trash from park litter bins into the supercan. Crews will then be able to roll the supercan to the edge of the park and get it into the truck there.
"This will give us a higher safety level," Grant said.
According to Grant, DPW only began collecting garbage from city parks earlier this summer. Before then, the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation had been responsible for emptying trash cans located deep inside city parks, such as those placed next to picnic areas.