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Upper East Side Residents Put Up A Stink Against Planned Garbage Transfer Station

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- On any given day, New York City generates roughly 35,000 tons of garbage. But now, a plan to find a new home for some of it is generating controversy.

Hundreds came out on the Upper East Side and put up a stink about a planned garbage transfer station  near Asphalt Green Park, where kids and their parents come every day.

"I just think it doesn't make any sense," resident Tie Wei told CBS 2's Sean Hennessey.

"It won't be good for, you know, the community," Karen Hannon said.

"They don't even want to have cigarette smoking in parks nowadays, but we can have garbage all around parks?" Michelle Matyko asked.

Residents are also upset about the road garbage trucks will take to get to the station, which bisects the park and is just feet away from the soccer field.

"That's over 9,000 trucks a week," Patricia Rice said.

"You shouldn't ask this of any community, so you shouldn't ask it of these folks here," Councilman Dan Garodnick said.

Residents said the proposed site already was a transfer station up until a until a decade ago when the area was commercial, not residential. Some don't want a return to the past.

"And that's why we are fighting. We have done our fair share," Councilwoman Jessica Lappin said.

"The stench was horrific. When the wind was blowing in the wrong direction you'd have to run around and close your windows," Suzanne Charity said.

Eddie Bautista runs the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance. He argued Upper East Siders don't deserve special treatment.

"In order for us to have a fair and just city, everybody's got to step up to the plate. We all have skin in the game, including the Upper East Side," Bautista said.

The city said the garbage disposal plans were approved back in 2006 and continuous challenges would not change a thing.

What Do You Think Of The Planned Garbage Transfer Station?  Share Your Thoughts In The Comments Section...

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